There are two factors to consider when deciding how to handle the problem of a work sample: sample size and population characteristics. Sample size is determined by a formula based on the power of the sample or its ability to represent the population with a predictable margin of error.
The resulting complexity makes card type detection code difficult to write, read, and maintain. As an example of this complexity, consider this JavaScript regular expression used to detect Discover card numbers starting with 6011, 622126-622925, 644-649, and 65:
Credit card numbers follow certain patterns. A credit card must have between 13 and 16 digits. It must start with: â¢ 4 for Visa cards. â¢ 5 for Master cards. â¢ 37 for American Express cards. In 1954, Hans Luhn of IBM proposed an algorithm for validating credit card numbers. The algorithm is useful to determine if a card number is entered correctly or if a credit card is scanned correctly by a scanner.