Information Theory | Computer Science Unplugged

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Computers are all about storing and moving information, but what actually is information? How do we measure the amount of information in a message?

This activity uses some intriguing variations on the game of 20 questions to demonstrate how we can quantify information content, which in turn shows us how to store and share it efficiently.

Curriculum Links

Great Principles of Computer Science

Communication

ACM K12 Curriculum

Level I (Grades 6-8) Topic 9: Demonstrate an understanding of concepts underlying hardware, software, algorithms, and their ...

New Zealand Curriculum

Mathematics Level 1: Equations and expressions
Communicate and explain counting, grouping, and equal-sharing strategies, using words, numbers, and pictures.
Mathematics Level 1: Probability
Investigate situations that involve elements of chance, acknowledging and anticipating possible outcomes

Other Resources

An older version of this activity can be downloaded in PDF format here. The content is similar to the current version, but there's some extra technical information.
Wikipedia: Information Theory
Claude Elwood Shannon (April 30, 1916 – February 24, 2001), an American electronic engineer and mathematician, is known as "the father of information theory. Check the Wikipedia page on Claude Shannon
Claude Shannon juggling
Claude Shannon's Experiment to Calculate the Entropy of English is aimed at determining the entropy of an English letter (the amount of information in bits that we obtain on the average when we learn one letter of English).