When looking at an op amp from the top, the pin count orientation is:

When looking at an op amp from the top, the pin count orientation is:

• A. CW
• B. CCW
• C. Up
• D. Down

Answer: (B)

Pin numbering on most op-amps is defined from a top view using a notch or bevel as the reference. The pin closest to the notch on the left side is pin 1, and the count proceeds around the package in a counterclockwise direction. So, when you look at the top of a standard 8-pin op-amp, the sequence goes down the left edge, across the bottom, up the right edge, and ends near the notch. That makes the pin count orientation counterclockwise. This convention is common across DIP and many surface-molder packages, and the exact pin functions are confirmed in the datasheet. If you rotate the package or view it from a different angle, the apparent direction changes, but from the top with the notch as reference, counting is CCW.

Pin numbering on most op-amps is defined from a top view using a notch or bevel as the reference. The pin closest to the notch on the left side is pin 1, and the count proceeds around the package in a counterclockwise direction. So, when you look at the top of a standard 8-pin op-amp, the sequence goes down the left edge, across the bottom, up the right edge, and ends near the notch. That makes the pin count orientation counterclockwise. This convention is common across DIP and many surface-molder packages, and the exact pin functions are confirmed in the datasheet. If you rotate the package or view it from a different angle, the apparent direction changes, but from the top with the notch as reference, counting is CCW.