The weight distribution of irreducible cyclic codes with block lengths n1((q1−1)N)

We study the weight distribution of irreducible cyclic (n, k) codeswith block lengths n = n₁((q¹ ? 1)/N), where N|q ? 1, gcd(n₁,N) = 1, and gcd(l,N) = 1. We present the weight enumerator polynomial, A(z), when k = n₁l, k = (n₁ ? 1)l, and k = 2l. We also show how to find A(z) in general by studying the generator matrix of an (n₁, m) linear code, $\text{V}{}^1{}_{\mathrm{d}}$ over GF(q^d) where d = gcd (ord_n1(q), l). Specifically we study A(z) when $\text{V}{}^1{}_{\mathrm{d}}$ is a maximum distance separable code, a maximal shiftregister code, and a semiprimitive code. We tabulate some numbers A_μ which completely determine the weight distributionof any irreducible cyclic (n₁(2¹ ? 1), k) code over GF(2) for all n₁ ? 17.