What is the function of a decade counter?

In digital logic, a counter is a circuit that tallies input pulses, effectively dividing the input frequency. A decade counter specifically counts from zero to nine and then resets, which means it requires exactly 10 input pulses to complete one full cycle and emit a single output pulse. This makes a decade counter a 'divide-by-10' circuit. It is highly useful in frequency dividers and digital clocks. It does not multiply pulses, making the option about producing 10 outputs for one input incorrect. Furthermore, a decade counter only performs the counting. Converting that count into a visual format for an LED screen is the job of an entirely different circuit called a display decoder (such as a BCD-to-7-segment decoder).