Probability And Information Theory

Probability and Information

This new and updated textbook is an excellent way to introduce probability and information theory to students new to mathematics, computer science, engineering, statistics, economics, or business studies. Only requiring knowledge of basic calculus, it begins by building a clear and systematic foundation to probability and information. Classic topics covered include discrete and continuous random variables, entropy and mutual information, maximum entropy methods, the central limit theorem and the coding and transmission of information. Newly covered for this edition is modern material on Markov chains and their entropy. Examples and exercises are included to illustrate how to use the theory in a wide range of applications, with detailed solutions to most exercises available online for instructors.

Information Theory, Inference and Learning Algorithms

Information theory and inference, taught together in this exciting textbook, lie at the heart of many important areas of modern technology - communication, signal processing, data mining, machine learning, pattern recognition, computational neuroscience, bioinformatics and cryptography. The book introduces theory in tandem with applications. Information theory is taught alongside practical communication systems such as arithmetic coding for data compression and sparse-graph codes for error-correction. Inference techniques, including message-passing algorithms, Monte Carlo methods and variational approximations, are developed alongside applications to clustering, convolutional codes, independent component analysis, and neural networks. Uniquely, the book covers state-of-the-art error-correcting codes, including low-density-parity-check codes, turbo codes, and digital fountain codes - the twenty-first-century standards for satellite communications, disk drives, and data broadcast. Richly illustrated, filled with worked examples and over 400 exercises, some with detailed solutions, the book is ideal for self-learning, and for undergraduate or graduate courses. It also provides an unparalleled entry point for professionals in areas as diverse as computational biology, financial engineering and machine learning.

Probability and Information