Elias Gamma Coding - Encoding

Encoding

To code a number:

1. Write it in binary.
2. Subtract 1 from the number of bits written in step 1 and prepend that many zeros.

An equivalent way to express the same process:

1. Separate the integer into the highest power of 2 it contains (2N) and the remaining N binary digits of the integer.
2. Encode N in unary; that is, as N zeroes followed by a one.
3. Append the remaining N binary digits to this representation of N.

To represent a number, Elias gamma uses bits.

The code begins (the implied probability distribution for the code is added for clarity):