An apparatus and method are described for multi-bit error correction and detection. For example, one embodiment of a processor comprises: error detection logic to detect one or more errors in data when reading the data from a storage device, the data being read from the storage device with parity codes and error correction codes (ECCs); error correction logic to correct the errors detected by the error detection logic; and a matrix usable by both the error detection logic to detect the one or more errors and the error correction logic to correct the errors, the matrix constructed into N regions, each region having M columns forming a geometric sequence, wherein each successive region is a shifted version of a prior region.