Paper 1, Section II, 12G
Part II, 2012
Define a cyclic binary code of length .
Show how codewords can be identified with polynomials in such a way that cyclic binary codes correspond to ideals in the polynomial ring with a suitably chosen multiplication rule.
Prove that any cyclic binary code has a unique generator, that is, a polynomial of minimum degree, such that the code consists of the multiples of this polynomial. Prove that the rank of the code equals , and show that divides .
Show that the repetition and parity check codes are cyclic, and determine their generators.