Maximum distance separable (MDS) codes are a special class of error-correcting codes that achieve the highest possible minimum distance for a given length and dimension. This means that MDS codes can correct the maximum number of errors while still being able to recover the original data, making them extremely efficient in terms of error correction capabilities. They are particularly important in coding theory as they enable reliable communication over noisy channels and are foundational in constructions like BCH and Reed-Solomon codes.
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