Greedy Algorithms — Activity Selection, Huffman Codes, Knapsack, and Caching Explained | Chapter 15 of Intro to Algorithms
Greedy Algorithms — Activity Selection, Huffman Codes, Knapsack, and Caching Explained | Chapter 15 of Intro to Algorithms Greedy algorithms provide fast and elegant solutions to many optimization problems by making the best local decision at each step, hoping this strategy leads to an optimal global solution. Chapter 15 of introduction to algorithms dives into the greedy approach, contrasting it with dynamic programming, and walks through key applications: activity selection, fractional and 0-1 knapsack, Huffman coding for data compression, and caching strategies. Understanding when the greedy-choice property holds is essential to recognizing which problems are truly “greedy-amenable.” For a quick video breakdown and worked examples, watch the full chapter summary below. Don’t forget to subscribe to Last Minute Lecture for new algorithm tutorials. The Greedy Strategy A greedy algorithm chooses the best available option at each stage, never reconsidering earlier decis...