Final answer:
Checksums are used to detect errors in data transmission in computer networks. However, they are not 100% reliable and can fail in certain cases like same-bit errors and burst errors.
Step-by-step explanation:
Checksums are commonly used in computer networks to detect errors in data transmission. A checksum is a small piece of data that is calculated from the data being sent and included in the datagram. When the recipient receives the datagram, it recalculates the checksum and compares it with the checksum received. If they match, it indicates that the data was transmitted without errors.
However, checksums are not foolproof and can fail under certain circumstances. One example is the occurrence of a same-bit error, where two bits that are different from one another are both flipped to the same state (either both flipped to 1 or both flipped to 0). In this case, the checksum may still match even though an error has occurred.
Another example is the occurrence of a burst error, where multiple bits in a row are corrupted. If the corrupted bits are evenly distributed across the datagram, the checksum may still detect the error. However, if the corrupted bits are clustered together, the checksum may not be able to catch the error.