Description
Return symbolCost minus referenceCost as signedGap.
A code's symbol cost, length, overhead, and expected rate use different denominators. An ideal information budget is not necessarily the measured size of a practical encoded message.
Return symbolCost minus referenceCost as signedGap.
When to use this tool
Use Symbol Code Cost Reference Gap when you need one explicit coding-cost or redundancy component.
How to use the tool and how it works
- Enter symbolCost, referenceCost. Use the units and conventions below.
- Run the tool. Correct any format, range, or cross-field input error before interpreting the output.
- Read signedGap. Use the output convention below.
Return symbolCost minus referenceCost as signedGap.1
| Input field | Meaning and units | Accepted input |
|---|---|---|
| symbolCost | Symbol Cost | Required. Finite number. |
| referenceCost | Reference Cost | Required. Finite number. |
| Output field | Interpretation | Returned shape |
|---|---|---|
| signedGap | Signed Gap | Required. Finite number. |
json
{
"input": {
"symbolCost": 5,
"referenceCost": 3
},
"output": {
"signedGap": 2
}
}Limitations and assumptions
- Use matching units; the difference does not identify an optimal code or estimate information content.
- Inputs must satisfy both the field types and the cross-field conditions above. Invalid input causes an error; a successful false flag or documented placeholder is a different result.
- Numeric calculations use binary floating point unless exact decimal-integer arithmetic is explicitly stated. No hidden measurement tolerance or decimal rounding is added; nonfinite or out-of-contract results are rejected. Numeric signed-zero results are exported as zero.
Alternative or Complementary methods
Inspect the complete codebook and format, including headers, termination, padding, and source probabilities.
References
Similar or alternative tools
- Symbol Cost Rate Slack
Subtract symbolCost from suppliedRate for slack.
- Information: Code Redundancy Per Symbol
Return their difference and 1 - entropy/averageCodeLength, or relativeRedundancy zero at a zero average.