Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2025/ii/paper-4/3k/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2025 ii Paper 4 3K Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-09-23 Updated 2026-10-03
A binary linear-feedback shift register of degree has a state
and recurrenceIts feedback polynomial is
and recurrenceIts feedback polynomial is
There are states, and the zero state is fixed. A nonzero periodic orbit therefore visits at most the other states, proving the period bound for a linear-feedback shift register.
For a maximal orbit with , the all-one state cannot itself be fixed. From that state the incoming bit is in . If an odd number of the were one, the incoming bit would be one and the all-one state would be fixed. Hence an even number of the are one; including the leading coefficient, the feedback polynomial has an odd number of nonzero coefficients. This is the feedback-polynomial parity condition for maximal period.
The given prefix has seven consecutive zeros followed by a one. Any register of degree at most seven would therefore enter the all-zero state before producing the final one, which is impossible. Degree eight is attained bywith initial state . It produces the next bit and has feedback polynomialThus this is the minimal linear-feedback shift register for the prefix 100000001.
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