Scribd
Upload
48 views1 page

Understanding Information Concepts

The document discusses different meanings and definitions of the concept of information, how it relates to concepts like data, knowledge, communication and encoding. It also discusses how uncertainty relates to the amount of information required to resolve it, using coin flips as an example.

Uploaded by

sd
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
48 views1 page

Understanding Information Concepts

The document discusses different meanings and definitions of the concept of information, how it relates to concepts like data, knowledge, communication and encoding. It also discusses how uncertainty relates to the amount of information required to resolve it, using coin flips as an example.

Uploaded by

sd
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

Information can be thought of as the resolution of uncertainty; it is that which answers the question

of "What an entity is" and thus defines both its essence and nature of its characteristics. The concept
of information has different meanings in different contexts.[1] Thus the concept becomes related to
notions
of constraint, communication, control, data, form, education, knowledge, meaning, understanding, m
ental stimuli, pattern, perception, representation, and entropy.
Information is associated with data, as data represent values attributed to parameters, and
information is data in context and with meaning attached. Information also relates to knowledge, as
knowledge signifies understanding of an abstract or concrete concept.[2][better  source  needed]
In terms of communication, information is expressed either as the content of a message or through
direct or indirect observation. That which is perceived can be construed as a message in its own
right, and in that sense, information is always conveyed as the content of a message.
Information can be encoded into various forms for transmission and interpretation (for example,
information may be encoded into a sequence of signs, or transmitted via a signal). It can also
be encrypted for safe storage and communication.
The uncertainty of an event is measured by its probability of occurrence and is inversely proportional
to that. The more uncertain an event, the more information is required to resolve uncertainty of that
event. The bit is a typical unit of information, but other units such as the nat may be used. For
example, the information encoded in one "fair" coin flip is log2(2/1) = 1 bit, and in two fair coin flips is
log2(4/1) = 2 bits.

You might also like