CS412-Applied-Algorithms/Greedy-Algorithms/README.md

# Greedy Algorithms

The _knapsack_ problem is a well known, that when solved with a backtracking
approach, has **exponential** complexity. In this problem, you are given n
items, each with item having a dollar value and a weight. The knapsack can carry
a maximum weight _W_. The algorithm selects the subset of items with **maximum**
value where the sum of the weights of the items does not exceed W.

## Task 1: Develop pseudocode for 0-1 Knapsack

Develop pseudocode that solves this version of the knapsack problem (commonly
known as the 0-1 knapsack problem, since you either take an item or do not take
an item). This should be a backtracking approach with recursion.

**Submit** this as a text file (`cs412_knapsack_01pseudo.txt`). It is OK if this
code does not compile, but it should be fairly close.

## Task 2: Code fractional knapsack problem

The fractional knapsack problem allows items to be broken into smaller pieces so
that the total value of the items in the knapsack can be maximized as discussed
in class. Your method should run in O(n lg n) time. **Submit** this as a text
file (`cs412_knapsack_fractional.py`).

### Input

Your input will begin with a single line containing a nonnegative integer weight
w. This is followed by a single line contains a nonnegative integer n followed
by exactly n lines each of which contains a triple (String, real, real). The
first String is the item's name, the second is the dollar value of the item and
the third is the item's weight.

### Output

You should output exactly 2 lines. The first line is the list of items in the
knapsack with the value and amount (weight) of each item formatted as shown. The
order of the items should follow the ratio of the most expensive per unit
weight. The second line is the total value of the items in the knapsack.

<table>
    <tr>
        <td>Sample Input</td>
        <td>Sample Output</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td><pre>
11
3
ring 100 5
gold 50 10
silver 50 5</pre>
        </td>
        <td>
            <pre>
ring(100.00, 5.00) silver(50.00, 5.00) gold(5.00, 1.00)
155.0</pre>
        </td>
    </tr>
</table>

**Hints:**

- Python's sort function accepts a lambda function to select which item to use
  in sorting. So, if you read in the input as a list of lists, it is possible to
  run the sort on this with a single line of code.

## Task 3: Reflect on these problems

Reflect on the problems in task 1 and task 2.

- Which problem is more efficient to solve, the 0/1 knapsack or fractional
  knapsack? Use big-OH complexity to justify your answer.
- How would the greedy item selection strategy work for the 0/1 knapsack
  problem? Reflect on 1) whether this approach would yield the optimal answer
  and 2) How would its the approaches efficiency/speed be impacted (when
  compared to the backtracking 0/1 approach)?
- For the two questions above, give an example input to support your
  description? Your input should be specified in the same format as the input to
  Task 2.

Attach the answers to these question at the end of `cs412_knapsack_01pseudo.txt`
file.

## Rubric:

- 3 points -- Pseudo code for 0-1 knapsack problem
- 5 points -- code runs and passes Gradescope tests
- 3 points -- answers to reflection questions in Task 3
- 1 point -- instructor review

## Submit

Submit both files to Gradescope.

- `cs412_knapsack_01pseudo.txt` (submit this to Gradescope too and it should
  contain both Task 1 and Task 3 work)
- `cs412_knapsack_fractional.py`