Create Your Own Encoding Codehs Answers — 8.3 8

def encode(s): result = [] for ch in s.lower(): if ch.isalpha(): result.append(ord(ch) - ord('a') + 1) elif ch == ' ': result.append(27) return result

: For simplicity, let's implement a basic Caesar Cipher. In a Caesar Cipher, each letter in the plaintext is 'shifted' a certain number of places down the alphabet. 8.3 8 create your own encoding codehs answers

Your “custom” element is the . In this case, adding 5 modifies the standard ASCII mapping. A message like "Hi" becomes [77, 110] instead of [72, 105] . def encode(s): result = [] for ch in s

: You should use the fewest number of bits necessary to represent all your characters. For a character set of 27 items (A-Z plus space), this requires at least 5 bits ( possible combinations). In this case, adding 5 modifies the standard ASCII mapping

This assignment introduces the concept of . In the real world, this is the foundation of cryptography and file compression. Understanding how to map one set of values to another is essential for learning how computers store everything from images to encrypted passwords.

Encoding is the process of converting information into a different format so it can be stored, transmitted, or interpreted. In computer science education (such as CodeHS modules), creating a custom encoding helps students understand representation, efficiency, error detection, and creativity in mapping real-world data to binary or symbolic forms. This paper explains why designing an encoding matters, outlines clear steps to create one

This is trickier because encoded tokens may be variable length (e.g., “U13” is 3 chars, “5” is 1 char). You’ll need to parse the encoded string intelligently.