The number of full and half-adders required to add 16-bit numbers is :

The correct answer is 1 half-adder, 15 full-adders.

Key Points

• A 16-bit binary adder requires 1 half-adder and 15 full-adders.
• A half-adder is used to add the least significant bit (LSB), which does not require a carry-in bit.
• Full-adders are used for the remaining bits, which must account for both the carry-in and carry-out bits.
• The structure ensures efficient addition of binary numbers with proper handling of carry bits.

Additional Information

• Full-adders can add three bits together: two significant bits and one carry bit from the previous stage.
• Half-adders can add two bits together but cannot handle carry-in bits.
• In a 16-bit addition, the first stage uses a half-adder, and the subsequent 15 stages use full-adders.
• This configuration minimizes the number of adders required while ensuring correct binary addition.