MA410      Half Unit
Information, Communication and Cryptography

This information is for the 2019/20 session.

Teacher responsible

Prof Jozef Skokan

Availability

This course is available on the MSc in Applicable Mathematics and MSc in Operations Research & Analytics. This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

Pre-requisites

Students should be taking the course MA407 Algorithms and Computation or have taken an equivalent course to provide a basic knowledge of algorithms, and should have experience with proofs and proof techniques used in pure mathematics.

Course content

This course provides an introduction, for students with a mathematical background, to the applications of mathematics in information theory, coding theory, cryptography, and related areas. The course will cover mathematical aspects of the following topics: Noiseless coding, the Kraft-McMillan criterion, optimal coding, entropy, Shannon's first theorem; Noisy channels, capacity, system entropy; Error-correcting codes, decoding rules, bounds, construction and properties of linear and cyclic codes; Structure of natural languages, redundancy, the frequency table, making and breaking cryptosystems, historic examples; Public-key cryptography, complexity issues, the RSA system, authentication schemes, the ElGamal system. Subject to available time we may also cover elliptic curve cryptography and/or cryptocurrencies. 

Teaching

20 hours of lectures and 10 hours of seminars in the MT. 2 hours of lectures in the ST.

Indicative reading

N L Biggs, Codes, An Introduction to Information, Communication and Cryptography: G A Jones & J M Jones, Information and Coding Theory; C M Goldie & R G E Pinch, Communication Theory; D J A Welsh, Codes and Cryptography; D T Stinson, Cryptography Theory and Practice.

Assessment

Exam (90%, duration: 2 hours) in the summer exam period.
Coursework (10%) in the MT.

Key facts

Department: Mathematics

Total students 2018/19: 6

Average class size 2018/19: 5

Controlled access 2018/19: No

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Personal development skills

  • Self-management
  • Problem solving
  • Application of information skills
  • Communication
  • Application of numeracy skills
  • Specialist skills