Error detection/correction and data compression

1. There is a difference between error detection and error correction.  A simple parity bit Links to an external site. can be used to detect an odd number of 1-bit errors, but a more involved scheme, such as the Hamming(7,4) Links to an external site. code, is needed to correct such errors.  Error detection and correction always involve adding redundancy.

2. Removing redundancy is what data compression is all about.  There are two kinds: lossless Links to an external site., and lossy Links to an external site..  Think about the pros and cons of each.

Error detection and correction require adding more information, while compression entails removing (excess) information.