A* Search and Heuristic Functions
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A* Search and Heuristic Functions

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Questions and Answers

What does the 'g(n)' function represent in A search?

  • The estimated cost to reach the goal from the node
  • The total number of steps taken
  • The number of actions remaining to reach the goal
  • The cost to reach the node from the initial state (correct)
  • What is the purpose of the heuristic function in search algorithms?

  • To determine the initial state
  • To determine the exact path cost
  • To estimate the cost from the current node to the goal (correct)
  • To calculate the number of possible actions in a state
  • Which search algorithm is guaranteed to find the shortest path if a solution exists?

  • Greedy search
  • Breadth-first search (correct)
  • Depth-first search
  • Iterative deepening search
  • What type of search algorithm uses both g(n) and h(n) to find an optimal solution?

    <p>A* search</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What defines an admissible heuristic?

    <p>A heuristic that never overestimates the true cost to reach the goal</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characteristic defines a consistent heuristic?

    <p>It satisfies the condition: h(n) ≤ h(n') + cost(n, n') for every node n and successor n'</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What critical advantage does A* search algorithm provide over other search algorithms?

    <p>It guarantees finding the shortest path if the heuristic is admissible and consistent</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary purpose of Alpha-Beta pruning in search tree evaluation?

    <p>To reduce the number of nodes evaluated in a minimax algorithm</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What primary function does the minimax algorithm serve in two-player games?

    <p>To evaluate the optimal strategy in two-player games</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which player in a minimax scenario actively tries to increase their score?

    <p>MAX player</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of depth-limited minimax, what is the evaluation function used to achieve?

    <p>To estimate the utility of a game state when the search is cut off</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What types of scenarios does adversarial search specifically deal with?

    <p>Multi-agent competitive environments</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the strategic goal of the MIN player in adversarial search?

    <p>To minimize the MAX player’s score</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    • g(n) represents the cost to reach a specific node from the initial state in A* search.
    • h(n) represents the estimated cost to reach the goal from the current node in A* search.
    • Breadth-first search guarantees finding the shortest path if a solution exists.
    • Uniform-cost search expands the node with the lowest total path cost so far.

    Heuristic Functions

    • Heuristic functions estimate the cost from the current node to the goal.
    • A search* uses both g(n) and h(n) to find an optimal solution.
    • An admissible heuristic never overestimates the true cost to reach the goal.
    • A consistent heuristic satisfies the condition: h(n) ≤ h(n') + cost(n, n'), meaning the estimated cost from a node is less than or equal to the estimated cost from a successor node plus the cost to reach that successor node.
    • The main advantage of A search* is that it guarantees finding the shortest path if the heuristic is admissible and consistent.

    Optimization Techniques

    • Alpha-Beta Pruning reduces the number of nodes evaluated in a minimax algorithm by pruning branches that are guaranteed to be worse than already explored branches.

    Minimax Algorithm

    • Minimax evaluates the optimal strategy in two-player games.
    • The MAX player aims to maximize their own score.
    • The MIN player aims to minimize the MAX player’s score.
    • The evaluation function in depth-limited minimax estimates the utility of a game state when the search is cut off.
    • Adversarial search addresses multi-agent competitive environments.
    • The MAX player aims to maximize their own score in adversarial search.

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    Description

    This quiz covers A* search algorithms and heuristic functions. It delves into key concepts such as the cost functions g(n) and h(n), the significance of admissible and consistent heuristics, and the advantages of the A* search method. Test your understanding of these essential algorithmic topics.

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