Order of a digital filter

The order of a digital filter is the number of previous inputs (stored in the processor's memory) used to
calculate the current output.
Thus:
1. Examples (1) and (2) above are zero-order filters, as the current output yn depends only on the current input
xn and not on any previous inputs.
2. Examples (3), (4) and (5) are all of first order, as one previous input (xn-1) is required to calculate yn. (Note
that the filter of example (3) is classed as first-order because it uses one previous input, even though the
current input is not used).
3. In examples (6) and (7), two previous inputs (xn-1 and xn-2) are needed, so these are second-order filters.
Filters may be of any order from zero upwards.