A reduced COordinate Rotation DIgital Computer (CORDIC) cell in a parallel CORDIC has an xy-path from x and y inputs to x and y outputs, and a z-path from a z-input to a z-output. Bit-shifts in the xy-path are hardwired. The z-path has a shortened adder/subtractor with a built-in or hardwired fixed parameter. Input bits from the z-input are split into most significant and least significant bits. The number of most significant bits equals the shortened adder/subtractor width. The most significant bits are input to the non-inverting inputs of the adder/subtractor for calculating the most significant z-output bits. The least significant bits are connected directly (or via buffers) from the z-input to the z-output.