Week 3 Optimization

• Optimization: selecting best accessible option from set of available options
• Local Search: search algorithm that maintains a single node, searching its neighbours

  focus is on finding solution, rather than path used

  
• Global max/min:

  
• Hill Climbing:

  moves to the largest value neighbor in each turn until no larger neighbor is found

  to avoid getting stuck at a LOCAL min/max, use simulated annealing
• Simulated Annealing:

  in order to avoid getting stuck at a local min/max (rather than finding global), moves to values worse than its current

  Starts with a higher 'temperature' wherein more likely to accept a lower value neighbour, later decreasing temperature/likelihood
• Linear Programming:

  is a family of types of problems, with constraints and a goal
• Backtracking Search:

  used to solve constraint satisfaction problems (found in linear programming)

  involves backtracking and attempting differently, when constraints found to cause a blockage