An imaging and decoding system for an imaging-based bar code reader. The imaging and decoding system includes an imaging system and a decoding system. The imaging system includes an imaging pixel array and a memory which function to: image the target bar code by scanning the target bar code at an acute angle with respect to a vertical axis of the target bar code to generate a tilted imaged bar code stored in memory, the tilted imaged bar code comprising an array of gray scale values stored in the memory; generate a virtual scan line traversing a horizontal width of the tilted imaged bar code; establish a zone about the virtual scan line; and project gray values within the zone onto the virtual scan line thereby generating a sequence of gray scale values associated with the virtual scan line, the sequence of gray scale values representative of a pattern of elements of the target bar code. The decoding system decodes the target bar code utilizing the sequence of values associated with the virtual scan line.