The following comes from Page 54 of Revenue Canada Taxation publication MC42. ( Jan 1,85. Machine computation of ......) Keith (PC1155) -------------------------------------------------- The Social Insurance Number contains nine digits. The number consists of eight assigned digits, with the ninth digit being constructed from the first eight and acting as a check digit. The accuracy of transcription of the number may be verified using the standard modulus 10 check digit formula. Briefly, the check digit is established by considering the unit digit of the basic number and each alternate digit to the left to be a whole number. This number is multiplied by two and the digits in the product and the intervening digits which were not inflated are cross added. The sum is subtracted from the next highest number ending in zero. The difference is the check digit. For the purpose of verifying the Social Insurance Number, you must consider the basic Social Insurance Number which consists of the first eight digits. The example below may better illustrate the verication method. Check Basic No. Digit Social Insurance Number provided in your employee's record . . . . . . 123 456 78 2 Make a number from unit position and each alternate position to the left . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 6 8 Add the number to itself . . . . . . 2 4 6 8 ----------- Sum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 9 3 6 Cross add the digits in the sum (4 + 9 + 3 + 6) = . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Cross add intervening digits (1 + 3 + 5 + 7) = . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 --- Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 If the total is a multiple of 10, the check digit is 0, otherwise subtract from the next highest number ending in zero. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Check digit is . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 -------------------------------------------------- Below is a BASIC code fragment that checks the number entered. Note that the number is a string. REM SIN$ IS THE NUMBER TO BE CHECKED 820 FAIL = 0 IF LEN(SIN$) <> 9 THEN FAIL = 1 : GOTO 830 IF VAL(SIN$) = 0 THEN FAIL = 1 : GOTO 830 REM GET ALTERNATE DIGITS X$="" : X=0 FOR Z%=1 TO 4 X$=X$+MID$(SIN$,Z%*2,1) NEXT Z% REM MULTIPLY BY 2 X$=STR$(VAL(X$)*2) REM CROSS ADD THE DIGITS FOR Z%=1 TO LEN(X$) X=X+VAL(MID$(X$,Z%,1)) NEXT Z% REM ADD THE INTERVENING DIGITS FOR Z%=1 TO 7 STEP 2 X=X+VAL(MID$(SIN$,Z%,1)) NEXT Z% REM SUBTRACT FROM THE NEXT MULTIPLE OF 10 X=(10-(X MOD 10)) MOD 10 REM CHECK THE RESULT AGAINST THE LAST DIGIT OF THE SIN$ IF X <> VAL(RIGHT$(SIN$,1)) THEN FAIL = 1 830 IF FAIL <> 0 THEN PRINT "BAD S.I.N. ";SIN$