What does the acronym EBCDIC stand for?

The acronym EBCDIC stands for Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code. This character encoding system was developed by IBM and is primarily used on IBM mainframe and midrange computer systems. EBCDIC encodes characters in a way that extends the traditional binary-coded decimal format, allowing for a broader range of characters and symbols.

This coding scheme is significant because it enables the representation of integer values, punctuation, and alphabetic characters, making it essential for data processing in specific computing environments. EBCDIC differs from other encoding standards, such as ASCII, which is more commonly used in modern computing systems. Understanding EBCDIC is important for working in environments that still rely on older IBM systems or require interoperability with mainframe applications.