21.11. Conclusion

Try these first

1. 1.

   Define Huffman coding.

   Hint

   Think about the goal of encoding data efficiently.

2. 2.

   What is a prefix code?

   Hint

   Consider how codes can overlap or not.

3. 3.

   What is the primary goal of Huffman coding?

   • Maximize data length
   • Minimize data bits used
   • Equal length for all codes

   Hint

   Consider what efficient data transmission entails.

4. 4.

   Is a prefix code necessarily unique?

   • True
   • False

   Hint

   Think about how one code could lead to confusion if it was a prefix of another.

5. 5.

   Given the letters A (0.1), B (0.2), C (0.3), and D (0.4), demonstrate the construction of the Huffman tree step-by-step.

   Hint

   Draw each step as you combine nodes.

6. 6.

   How would the encoding differ if 'E' (0.5) suddenly became more common than 'A' (0.1)?

   Hint

   Watch how changes in frequencies affect the tree.