Algorithms For Dummies

 

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At each turn, you always make the best decision you can at that particu-

lar instant.

 

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You hope that making a series of best decisions results in the best final 

solution.

Greedy algorithms are simple, intuitive, small, and fast because they usually run 

in linear time (the running time is proportional to the number of inputs provided). 

Unfortunately, they don’t offer the best solution for all problems, but when they 

do,  they  provide  the  best  results  quickly.  Even  when  they  don’t  offer  the  top 

answers, they can give a nonoptimal solution that may suffice or that you can use 

as a starting point for further refinement by another algorithmic strategy.

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CHAPTER 15