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Information: Symbol Probability Merge Entropy Delta Tool

Compute the entropy change when exactly two disjoint symbol masses are merged; all other masses stay fixed and zero terms use their continuous limit.

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Description

Compute the merged Shannon term minus the two separate terms, defining zero-mass terms as zero.

Entropy summarizes uncertainty under a specified probability model and logarithm convention. Support indicators, one-symbol terms, and exponentiated entropies are components with different meanings.

Compute the merged Shannon term minus the two separate terms, defining zero-mass terms as zero.

When to use this tool

Use Information: Symbol Probability Merge Entropy Delta when you need one explicitly scoped entropy or support calculation.

How to use the tool and how it works

  1. Enter firstMass, secondMass, base. Use the units and conventions below.
  2. Run the tool. Correct any format, range, or cross-field input error before interpreting the output.
  3. Read result. Expand result to inspect the returned fields.

Require nonnegative masses summing to at most one and base > 1. Compute the merged Shannon term minus the two separate terms, defining zero-mass terms as zero.1

Input fieldMeaning and unitsAccepted input
firstMassFirst MassRequired. Finite number.
secondMassSecond MassRequired. Finite number.
baseNumeric base or source quantity interpreted under the specific calculation above.Required. Finite number.
Output fieldInterpretationReturned shape
resultResultRequired. Object.
result.entropyDeltaEntropy DeltaCalculated result member: number.
json
{
  "input": {
    "firstMass": 0.25,
    "secondMass": 0.25,
    "base": 2
  },
  "output": {
    "result": {
      "entropyDelta": -0.5
    }
  }
}

Limitations and assumptions

  • The delta is merged entropy minus original entropy and can be negative; other symbols and the complete distribution are not supplied.
  • Outputs are nested inside result. 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

Validate and align complete probability distributions before aggregating terms or interpreting an uncertainty estimate.

References

  1. Calculation and input contract: information/symbol-probability-merge-entropy-delta — tool.io

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