2.2.2 Computational Methods Flashcards
What is meant by a computable problem?
A problem that can be solved using an algorithm
State four limiting factors to computable problems.
Processing power
Processing speed
Computer memory
Time
What may be considered when defining a problem?
Stengths/weaknesses of any current solutions
Inputs, outputs, stored data & volume of data
What is meant by problem decomposition?
Breaking down a problem into smaller problems until each subprobem can be represented as a self-contained subroutine
What does decomposition reduce?
Problem complexity
What is meant by Divide in Divide & Conquer?
Halves the size of the problem with every iteration
What is meant by Conquer in Divide & Conquer?
Each subproblem is solved
What is meant by Merge in Divide & Conquer?
Solutions to subproblems are recombined
What is abstraction?
Removal of excessive details to simplify a problem
What is backtracking?
Methodically builds a solution based on visited paths found to be correct
If a path is found to be invalid, algorithm backtracks to the previous stage
What is data mining?
Identifies patterns and outliers in big data
What is big data?
Large sets of data collected from a variety of sources
What is data mining used for?
Assisting business & marketing decisions
What is heuristics?
Finding an approximate solution when the standard solution takes too long to find
What is the advantage of using an heuristic approach?
Reduces time taken
