Paper 2, Section II, 12K12 K

Coding and Cryptography
Part II, 2021

(a) Define what it means to say that CC is a binary cyclic code. Explain the bijection between the set of binary cyclic codes of length nn and the factors of Xn1X^{n}-1 in F2[X]\mathbb{F}_{2}[X].

(b) What is a linear feedback shift register?

Suppose that M:F2dF2dM: \mathbb{F}_{2}^{d} \rightarrow \mathbb{F}_{2}^{d} is a linear feedback shift register. Further suppose 0xF2d\mathbf{0} \neq \mathbf{x} \in \mathbb{F}_{2}^{d} and kk is a positive integer such that Mkx=xM^{k} \mathbf{x}=\mathbf{x}. Let HH be the d×kd \times k matrix (x,Mx,,Mk1x)\left(\mathbf{x}, M \mathbf{x}, \ldots, M^{k-1} \mathbf{x}\right). Considering HH as a parity check matrix of a code CC, show that CC is a binary cyclic code.

(c) Suppose that CC is a binary cyclic code. Prove that, if CC does not contain the codeword 11...111 . . .1, then all codewords in CC have even weight.