Optimal Points for a Probability Distribution on a Nonhomogeneous Cantor Set

Abstract

The objective of my thesis is to find optimal points and the quantization error for a probability measure defined on a Cantor set. The Cantor set, we have considered in this work, is generated by two self-similar contraction mappings on the real line with distinct similarity ratios. Then we have defined a nonhomogeneous probability measure, the support of which lies on the Cantor set. For such a probability measure first we have determined the n-optimal points and the nth quantization error for n = 2 and n = 3. Then by some other lemmas and propositions we have proved a theorem which gives all the n-optimal points and the nth quantization error for all positive integers n. In addition, we have given some properties of the optimal points and the quantization error for the probability measure. In the end, we have also given a list of n-optimal points and error for some positive integers n. The result in this thesis is a nonhomogeneous extension of a similar result of Graf and Luschgy in 1997. The techniques in my thesis could be extended to discretise any continuous random variable with another random variable with finite range.