A method for operating a content addressable memory, the method comprising: providing a plurality of resistive memory cells in parallel circuit, the resistive memory cells being electrically coupled to a match line, the match line configured to receive a collective current from the resistive memory cells during a memory search operation; receiving a data word of bit length L for storage in the resistive memory cells; characterized by: transforming the data word into a code word of bit length greater than L such that at least one code word bit in the code word depends on at least two data word bits in the data word, the code word guaranteeing a mismatch of at least two code word bits of different binary values during the memory search operation when the data word does not match a search word; storing the code word in the resistive memory cells; receiving at the content addressable memory the search word of length L for comparison against the data word during the search operation; transforming at the content addressable memory the search word into a search code for comparison against the code word during the search operation; and determining if the collective current from the resistive memory cells is below a threshold value during the memory search operation, wherein each resistive memory cell includes a resistive memory element serially coupled to an access device between a bit line and the match line, the memory element configured to store binary data as one of two complementary resistive memory element resistances; and biasing the access device of each resistive memory cell such that the effective resistance of the access device is one of two complementary access device resistances during the memory search operation. providing a plurality of resistive memory cells in parallel circuit, the resistive memory cells being electrically coupled to a match line, the match line configured to receive a collective current from the resistive memory cells during a memory search operation; receiving a data word of bit length L for storage in the resistive memory cells; transforming the data word into a code word of bit length greater than L such that at least one code word bit in the code word depends on at least two data word bits in the data word, the code word guaranteeing a mismatch of at least two code word bits of different binary values during the memory search operation when the data word does not match a search word; storing the code word in the resistive memory cells; receiving at the content addressable memory the search word of length L for comparison against the data word during the search operation; transforming at the content addressable memory the search word into a search code for comparison against the code word during the search operation; and determining if the collective current from the resistive memory cells is below a threshold value during the memory search operation, wherein each resistive memory cell includes a resistive memory element serially coupled to an access device between a bit line and the match line, the memory element configured to store binary data as one of two complementary resistive memory element resistances; and biasing the access device of each resistive memory cell such that the effective resistance of the access device is one of two complementary access device resistances during the memory search operation.