ARITHMETIC DECODING APPARATUS AND METHOD

An arithmetic decoding method and apparatus are provided. The apparatus includes an arithmetic decoding apparatus comprising an arithmetic decoding unit determining a range of a most probable symbol and a range of a least probable symbol required to decode a current symbol, comparing a current offset and the range of the most probable symbol required to decode the current symbol, and determining and outputting the value of the current symbol. The apparatus also includes a predicted arithmetic decoding unit determining a range of a most probable symbol and a range of a least probable symbol which are required to decode a next symbol using a prediction that the current symbol is the most probable symbol, comparing a next offset and the range of the most probable symbol required to decode the next symbol, and determining and outputting a range of the next symbol.