Mathematics of audio compression

Richard E. Crandall
Vollum Adjunct Professor of Science, Reed College

Abstract: It goes without saying that commercial digital media now play a significant role in prevailing culture. Perhaps surprising to some, this rise of media does not mean that "purer" pursuits like mathematics need be relegated to the sidelines. Indeed, there is more need now than ever before for mathematical solutions to media problems. A central such problem is that of audio compression: How do we reduce the (usually vast) amount of data required for a high-fidelity music collection?