A method and apparatus are for performing one of encoding and decoding a code word that is used to communicate a portion of a signal. For encoding, at least a portion of a code word is encoded from a signal based value using an approximation of a combinatorial function, wherein the signal based value represents one or more aspects of a signal. For decoding, at least a portion of a code word is decoded to a signal based value using an approximation of a combinatorial function, wherein the signal based value represents one or more aspects of a signal. The approximation of the combinatorial function is based on a linear combination of a set of basis functions.