What is the number of quantization?

Quantization refers to the process of constraining an input from a large set to output in a smaller set, often in the context of digital signal processing. The number of quantization levels determines how many discrete values a continuous signal can take, which directly impacts the resolution and accuracy of the representation. For example, in an 8-bit quantization, there are 256 (2^8) possible levels. The choice of quantization levels is crucial for balancing fidelity and data size.