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Article #8

entropy

#8
From: Simon
Date: Wed, 13 Oct 1999 00:00
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To all

X is a discrete random variable that takes on one of the values x1, x2,
..... , xn, with respective probabilities p1, p2, .... ,pn.

The entropy of X is defined as:  H(X) = -Sum{pi*log(pi)} in which log means
log with base 2 and Sum means summation over all i.

Please, could someone explain to me why H(X) is maximized when all of the pi
are equal??
(It is quite easy to prove when n=2)(But what to do when n>2???)

Thanks in advance

Simon
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From: "Simon" <s.salm@cable.a2000.nl>
Subject: entropy
Date: 1999/10/13
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