Review on greedy algorithm

Abstract

The greedy algorithm is a commonly used algorithm design idea that can provide efficient solutions to many practical problems. This paper aims to review and summarize the basic ideas, characteristics and application fields of greedy algorithms, and discuss their advantages and limitations. Firstly, the basic concepts of greedy algorithms are introduced, including the greedy selection properties and optimal substructures. Then, some classic greedy algorithms such as the backpack problem, the activity selection problem, and the minimum spanning tree problem are introduced, and the concept of time complexity is introduced. Next, the application of greedy algorithms in practical problems, such as scheduling problems, network routing, and graph generation, will be discussed. Finally, the advantages of the greedy algorithm and the limitation of the inability to obtain the global optimal solution will be evaluated, and the improvement direction combined with other algorithms will be proposed.