10. A method for decoding a received code word by an error detection and correction module, the method comprising: receiving a code word from a memory circuit, wherein the code word was derived from a plurality of smaller code words that represent a data word of 2 m data bits and a plurality of error correction code bits; converting the code word into the plurality of smaller code words; computing a plurality of syndromes by multiplying each of the plurality of smaller code words by a check matrix; processing the plurality of syndrome words to determine a number of errors that exist in each of the plurality of smaller code words; processing a portion of the plurality of syndrome words to determine locations of possible errors within the plurality of smaller code words; and correcting up to two errors and detecting up to three errors in the code word by using the number of errors and the locations of possible errors to determine erroneous bits in the code word.
10. A method for decoding a received code word by an error detection and correction module, the method comprising: receiving a code word from a memory circuit, wherein the code word was derived from a plurality of smaller code words that represent a data word of 2 m data bits and a plurality of error correction code bits; converting the code word into the plurality of smaller code words; computing a plurality of syndromes by multiplying each of the plurality of smaller code words by a check matrix; processing the plurality of syndrome words to determine a number of errors that exist in each of the plurality of smaller code words; processing a portion of the plurality of syndrome words to determine locations of possible errors within the plurality of smaller code words; and correcting up to two errors and detecting up to three errors in the code word by using the number of errors and the locations of possible errors to determine erroneous bits in the code word. 13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the received code word polynomial has roots at −1, 0 and 1 powers of primitive Galois Field element α.