Methods, apparatus and systems for error correction of n-valued symbols in codewords of p n-valued symbols with n>2 and for n=2 and k information symbols have been disclosed. Coders and decoders using a Linear Feedback Shift Registers (LFSR) are applied to generate codewords and detect the presence of errors. An LFSR can be in Fibonacci or Galois configuration. Errors can be corrected by execution of an n-valued expression in a deterministic non-iterative way. Deterministic error correction methods based on known symbols in error are provided. Corrected codewords can be identified by comparison with received codewords in error. N-valued LFSR based pseudo-noise generators and methods to determine if an LFSR is appropriate for generating error correcting codes are also disclosed. Methods and apparatus applying error free assumed windows and error assumed windows are disclosed. Systems using the error correcting methods, including communication systems and data storage systems are also provided.