khreb@mtuxo.UUCP (01274-K.ROSEN) (04/29/88)
I'd appreciate recommendations for a text on coding theory
for an undergraduate junior/senior level course in a
computer science dept. I plan to cover the usual topics,
and perhaps cryptology and data compression, if time permits.
A book with minimal algebraic prerequisites would be preferable
since the students won't have had any courses in abstract algebra.
Thanks.
Ken Rosen
(201)957-3691floyd@brl-smoke.ARPA (Floyd C. Wofford) (04/29/88)
In article <1832@mtuxo.UUCP> khreb@mtuxo.UUCP (01274-K.ROSEN) writes: >I'd appreciate recommendations for a text on coding theory >for an undergraduate junior/senior level course in a >computer science dept. I plan to cover the usual topics, >and perhaps cryptology and data compression, if time permits. >A book with minimal algebraic prerequisites would be preferable >since the students won't have had any courses in abstract algebra. >Thanks. > > Ken Rosen > (201)957-3691 The fellow across the hall from me has a PHD in the stuff. A little while back he loaned to me "A First Course in Coding Theory", by Raymond Hill. It was printed in 1986 by the Oxford Press. It belongs to the Oxford Applied Mathematics and Computing Science Series. The table of contents follows: Notation xi 1 Introduction to error-correcting codes 1 2 The main coding theory problem 11 3 An introduction to finite fields 31 4 Vector spaces over finite fields 41 5 Introduction to linear codes 47 6 Encoding and decoding with a linear code 55 7 The dual code, tha parity-check matrix, and syndrome decoding 67 8 The Hamming codes 81 9 Perfect codes 97 10 Codes and Latin squares 113 11 A double-error correcting decimal code and an introduction to BCH codes 125 12 Cyclic codes 141 13 Weight enumerators 165 14 The main linear coding theory problem 175 15 MDS codes 191 16 Concluding remarks, related topics, and further reading 201 Solutions to exercises 211 Bibliography 243 Index 249 The author's main concern is presentationof block codes for random error correction to second/third mathematics undergraduates and engineering and computer science. I found the book to be quite an easy read (I have a hard time plowing through texts on my own) considering a) I do not have an algebraic background and b) I was not using it for any type of classwork. Cryptographic and compression concepts are only briefly mentioned in chapter 16. The bibliography provides the student ~100 references with almost all of the major texts cited. This may fit your needs. Good luck! floyd@brl.arpa
troly@julia.math.ucla.edu (Bret Jolly) (04/30/88)
In article <1832@mtuxo.UUCP> khreb@mtuxo.UUCP (01274-K.ROSEN) writes: >I'd appreciate recommendations for a text on coding theory >for an undergraduate junior/senior level course in a >computer science dept. I plan to cover the usual topics, >and perhaps cryptology and data compression, if time permits. >A book with minimal algebraic prerequisites would be preferable >since the students won't have had any courses in abstract algebra. Hamming has a very clearly written text that fits this. It covers both coding and information theory (through Shannon's theorem). The information theory part includes problems of data compression. I've lent out my copy, but I think the title is _Coding and Information Theory_. I've looked at a number of texts and I think this is the best one at the level you want. The only math pre-requisite is calculus. Everything else is developed as needed in the book. ? Bret Jolly (Bo'-ret Tro Ly) Mathemagus LA Platygaean Society . troly@MATH.UCLA.EDU