A greedy algorithm is a mathematical process that recursively constructs a set of objects from the smallest possible constituent parts. Recursion is an approach to problem solving in which the solution to a particular problem depends on solutions to smaller instances of the same problem.
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Greedy algorithms look for simple, easy-to-implement solutions to complex, multi-step problems by deciding which next step will provide the most obvious benefit. Such algorithms are called greedy because while the optimal solution to each smaller instance will provide an immediate output, the algorithm doesn’t consider the larger problem as a whole. Once a decision has been made, it is never reconsidered.
The advantage to using a greedy algorithm is that solutions to smaller instances of the problem can be straightforward and easy to understand. The disadvantage is that it is entirely possible that the most optimal short-term solutions may lead to the worst long-term outcome.
Greedy algorithms are often used in ad hoc mobile networking to efficiently route packets with the fewest number of hops and the shortest delay possible. They are also used in machine learning, business intelligence (BI), artificial intelligence (AI) and programming.
See also: spanning tree protocol, Nagle's algorithm, fast retransmit and recovery
Continue learning about greedy algorithm:
Prof.Sunder Vishwanathan explains greedy algorithms in an easy-to-understand way.
Report: Using a greedy algorithm to create a firewall policy fault model with automatic correction.
Download: Data Mining: Adopting a “greedy” search for rules in business intelligence.
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