2.3.5: path finding algorithms

• What is dijkstra’s algorithm?

  A shortest path algorithm used to find the shortest distance between two nodes in a network.
• How is Dijkstra's algorithm implemented?

  You use a priority queue which has the shortest lengths at the front of the queue
• What is the A* algorithm?

  The A* algorithm is a general path-finding algorithm which has two cost functions: actual cost and an approximate cost
• How does the A* algorithm differ from Dijkstra’s algorithm?

  A* algorithm has two cost functions: the actual cost and the approximate cost
• Why are heuristics used in the A* algorithm?

  To calculate an approximate cost from node x to the final node. This aims to make the shortest path finding process more efficient
• What data structure can be used to implement Dijkstra’s algorithm?

  Priority queue
• State a disadvantage of using the A* algorithm

  The speed of the algorithm is constrained by the accuracy of the heuristic