What are some real-world applications of greedy algorithms?

What are some real-world applications of greedy algorithms?

Greedy algorithms are used in various fields like optimization, scheduling, and resource allocation. For example, they are used in Kruskal's and Prim's algorithms for finding the minimum spanning tree in graphs.

Can you give me a specific example of a greedy algorithm in action?

Sure! The Huffman coding algorithm is a classic example. It's used for data compression by assigning variable-length codes to input characters based on their frequencies.

How do greedy algorithms compare to dynamic programming?

Greedy algorithms make the locally optimal choice at each step, while dynamic programming considers the overall problem and builds up solutions to subproblems. Greedy is often faster but may not always yield the best solution.

What are the limitations of using greedy algorithms?

The main limitation is that greedy algorithms do not always produce the optimal solution for every problem. They work best for problems that exhibit the greedy choice property and optimal substructure.