The present invention provides a decoding method for decoding the coded data based on block. The method comprises: a determining step for determining the predicted values of the nonzero coefficients of the current block to be decoded according to the total number of the nonzero coefficients of the decoded block above the current block to be decoded and the total number of the nonzero coefficients of the decoded block at the left of the current block to be decoded, wherein each nonzero coefficient is a conversion coefficient having a value other than '0'; a selection step for selecting a variable length coding table according to the determined predicted values; and a decoding step for decoding the coded data obtained by coding the total number of the nonzero coefficients of the current block by using the selected variable length coding table, wherein if the decoded block does not occur above the current block and at the left of the current block, the predicted values is identified as '0'. |