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Problem solving: Method: Search: What is the 'Hill climbing' principle?

Oct 17th, 2003 20:25
Knud van Eeden,


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--- Knud van Eeden --- 12 October 2003 - 06:08 am --------------------

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Problem solving: Method: Search: What is the 'Hill climbing' principle?

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Problem solving generally proceeds by selective search through large
sets of possibilities, using rules of thumb (heuristics) to guide the
search.

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Because the total amount of possibilities in realistic problem
situations is usually very large, trial-and-error search would simply
not work. So the search must be highly selective.

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One of the procedures often used to guide search is

 "hill climbing"

using some measure of approach to the goal to determine where it is
most profitable to look next.

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[Internet: source: Herbert Simon - http://dieoff.org/page163.htm]

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Model used:

HILL CLIMBING: Try to get closer to your goal state than you are now
(altitude example)

Characteristics of problems:

1. PROBLEM SPACE (all possible configurations)

2. PROBLEM STATE (the particular configuration)

3. Key to solving a problem is to choose the right OPERATORS (processes
   applied to change the configuration)

4. Problem solving is a search process: Each action takes us from one 
part
   of the problem space to another

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[Internet: source: http://www.unc.edu/~jmccabe/Ch10notes.html]

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Internet: see also:

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Problem solving: Method: What is the 'possible cause elimination' 
problem solving method?
http://www.faqts.com/knowledge_base/view.phtml/aid/25258/fid/1242

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Problem solving: Method: 'Comparison working system' problem solving 
method
http://www.faqts.com/knowledge_base/view.phtml/aid/25401/fid/1242]

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Problem solving: Method: Means-ends analysis: What is means-ends 
analysis?
http://www.faqts.com/knowledge_base/view.phtml/aid/25270/fid/1242

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