22.6.2. Huffman's Innovative Algorithm

Try these first

1. 1.

   Define Huffman Coding.

   Hint

   Think about how encoding can vary based on frequency.

2. 2.

   What is a composite node?

   Hint

   It’s what we create after combining the lowest frequencies.

3. 3.

   What does Huffman's algorithm minimize?

   • Total Frequency
   • Average Bits Per Letter
   • Number of Letters

   Hint

   Consider what is meant by efficient encoding.

4. 4.

   True or False: Huffman coding is a greedy algorithm.

   • True
   • False

   Hint

   Recall the defining feature of greedy algorithms.

5. 5.

   Given a set of letters: H, I, J, K with frequencies 0.12, 0.30, 0.18, 0.40 respectively, construct the Huffman tree and the corresponding codes.

   Hint

   Follow the merging steps carefully.

6. 6.

   Explain how changing the order of merging nodes can affect the final encoding in Huffman’s algorithm. Provide an example.

   Hint

   Consider the implications on tree depth and node structure.