Industrial Maintenance Technician Practice Test 2026 - Free Maintenance Technician Practice Questions and Study Guide

BCD, or Binary-Coded Decimal, input devices are specifically designed to represent decimal digits using binary numbers. Thumbwheel switches are an excellent example of this type of input device because they allow users to set numerical values easily by rotating wheels that are numbered from 0 to 9. Each wheel corresponds to a digit in a BCD representation, facilitating straightforward data entry for processes that require numeric input.

While toggle switches, push button switches, and keyboard switches can also serve various input functions, they do not operate in the same direct manner for entering decimal numbers. Toggle switches typically function as on/off controls; push button switches often serve to initiate specific actions rather than input numerical data; and keyboard switches can encompass a wide array of commands and functions beyond just entering decimal values. Therefore, thumbwheel switches are defined and utilized primarily for BCD applications.