What Heuristic Meaning, Applications & Example
A practical problem-solving approach that may not be optimal.
What is a Heuristic?
A Heuristic is a problem-solving approach or technique that uses practical methods or rules of thumb to find solutions that are good enough, though not necessarily optimal. Heuristics are often used when finding an exact solution is impractical or too time-consuming, especially in complex or large-scale problems. They aim to speed up the process of finding a satisfactory solution.
Types of Heuristics
- Greedy Heuristic: Makes the locally optimal choice at each step with the hope of finding the global optimum. For example, in a pathfinding problem, a greedy algorithm might always move in the direction that gets closest to the goal.
- Rule of Thumb: Simple, general principles that provide a quick solution to a problem based on experience or common sense. For example, in decision-making, “choose the option with the least risk” can be a rule of thumb.
- Divide and Conquer: Breaks a large problem into smaller, more manageable subproblems, solves each subproblem independently, and then combines the results to obtain a solution.
Applications of Heuristic
- Search Algorithms: Used in algorithms like A* for pathfinding and puzzle-solving, where heuristics help estimate the distance to the goal.
- Optimization Problems: Employed in problems where finding an exact solution is computationally expensive, such as the traveling salesman problem or scheduling tasks.
- Artificial Intelligence: Heuristics are used in game-playing algorithms (like chess or Go) to guide the search for the best move based on experience and rules rather than brute force.
Example of Heuristic
An example of a Heuristic is in route planning, where a GPS system might use a heuristic that estimates the shortest path by considering factors like road types, speed limits, and traffic conditions. While not always leading to the absolute shortest route, it provides a quick and reasonable solution for most users.