MATH 4109, CLASS OUTLINE FOR FALL 2004

WEEK 

DATES 

ASSIGNMENTS 

SECTION/BOOK 

TOPICS 

1

Sep. 13

~

LN 8.1

Introduction to the course. What is coding theory. Basics of finite fields. Linear codes.

2

Sep. 20

~

LN 8.1

Decoding linear codes. Bounds.

3

Sep. 27

A1 out: Sep. 29

LN 8.2; MS 3.1; MS 3.3

2-error-correcting BCH codes. Finite fields. Polynomials.

4

Oct. 4

~

LN 1.2-1.4

Review: rings, fields and ideals. Extension fields. Splitting fields.

Oct. 11

No lecture on Oct. 11

LN 2.1

Characterization of finite fields.

6

Oct. 18

A1 in / A2 out: Oct. 20

LN 2.2-2.3; LN 2.5

Characterization of finite fields (cont).

7

Oct. 25

Midterm test

McE 5

Primitive elements and Gauss algorithm.

8

Nov. 1

~

LN 3.2; vzGG 14.9

Number of irreducible polynomials. Finding irreducible polynomials.

9

Nov. 8

A2 in / A3 out: Nov. 10

vzGG 14.1-14.6

Squarefree, distinct-degree and equal-degree factorization.

10

Nov. 15

~

MS 7; vzGG 14.10

Cyclic codes. Generator polynomial.

11

Nov. 22

~

MS 7

BCH codes revisited. Computing minimal polynomials.

12

Nov. 29

A3 in: Dec. 1

MS 10; HHLLPRW 6

Reed-Solomon codes.

13

Dec. 6

~

~

Review of course. Comments on final exam.

vzGG is ``Modern Computer Algebra'', by J. von zur Gathen and J. Gerhard, Cambridge University Press, 1999.
HHLLPRW is ``Coding Theory and Cryptography: the Essentials'', by D.R. Hankerson, D.G Hoffman, D.A. Leonard, C.C. Lindner, K.T. Phelps, C.A. Rodger and J.R. Wall, Marcel Dekker Inc., 2000.
LN is ``Introduction to Finite Fields and Their Applications'', by R. Lidl and H. Niederreiter, Cambridge University Press, 1994.
MS is ``The Theory od Error-Correcting Codes'', by F.J. MacWilliams and N.J.A. Sloane, North-Holland, Elsevier Science, 1977.
McE is ``Finite Fields for Computer Scientists and Engineers'', by R. McEliece, Kluwer Academic Press, 1987.