Information Representation: Binary Representations

This lecture covers the representation of information in binary form, explaining how n bits can represent 2n distinct pieces of information. It delves into the efficiency of binary systems compared to unary systems, the use of bytes to compactly represent information, and the minimum alphabet size required to efficiently represent all integers. The lecture also explores the cognitive complexity of reading binary messages and the transition to more compact organizations like bytes. Additionally, it discusses the representation of integers, including positive and negative numbers, and decimal numbers, focusing on floating-point representation and controlled relative errors. The lecture concludes with an appendix on symbol representation, from alphabets to ideograms.