Information Theory: A Tutorial Introduction

TL;DR

This paper provides an accessible yet rigorous overview of Shannon's information theory, explaining its fundamental concepts and limits on information transmission in various systems.

Contribution

It offers a clear tutorial introduction to Shannon's theory, including annotated references for further exploration.

Findings

Fundamental limits on information transmission are established by Shannon's theory.

The tutorial clarifies key concepts like entropy and channel capacity.

Provides annotated reading list for deeper understanding.

Abstract

Shannon's mathematical theory of communication defines fundamental limits on how much information can be transmitted between the different components of any man-made or biological system. This paper is an informal but rigorous introduction to the main ideas implicit in Shannon's theory. An annotated reading list is provided for further reading.