Changing only the phase tag moves the checked count ledger to the dark detector. Exact arithmetic here means exact results for the stated model inputs; measured inputs still carry uncertainty and significant-figure limits.

highlighted = computed this step

The input and first split stay unchanged

The opposite-phase case keeps the same 8 input photons and the same 4 plus 4 first split.

84+48\to4+4
Opposite phase inputThe first split is unchanged.1/2upper1/2lower0bright1dark0lostphase

Opposite phase recombines at the dark detector

Only the phase tag changes. The detector ledger becomes 0 bright and 8 dark.

Nbright=0,Ndark=8N_{\text{bright}}=0,\quad N_{\text{dark}}=8
Opposite phase outputThe contrast isolates the phase choice.1/2upper1/2lower0bright1dark0lostphase