UNIT - V
BACK TRACKING
1
OUTLINE
Backtracking
n-Queens Problem
2
Backtracking
Backtracking is mainly used to solve problems which have more than
one solutions.
The principal idea is to construct solutions by considering one
component at a time and evaluate such partially constructed candidates
as follows.
If a partially constructed solution can be developed further without
violating the problem’s constraints, it is done by taking the first
remaining legitimate option for the next component.
If there is no legitimate option for the next component, no alternatives
for any remaining component need to be considered.
In this case, the algorithm backtracks to replace the last component of
the partially constructed solution with its next option.
3
Backtracking
This kind of processing is often implemented by constructing a tree
of choices being made, called the state-space tree.
Its root represents an initial state before the search for a solution
begins.
The nodes of the first level in the tree represent the choices made
for the first component of a solution, the nodes of the second level
represent the choices for the second component, and so on.
A node in a state-space tree is said to be promising if it corresponds
to a partially constructed solution that may still lead to a complete
solution; otherwise, it is called nonpromising.
4
Backtracking
Leaves represent either non promising dead ends or
complete solutions found by the algorithm.
If the current node turns out to be non promising, the
algorithm backtracks to the node’s parent to consider the
next possible option for its last component;
if there is no such option, it backtracks one more level up the
tree, and so on.
Finally, if the algorithm reaches a complete solution to the
problem, it either stops (if just one solution is required) or
continues searching for other possible solutions.
5
n Queens problem
N – Queens problem:
Problem statement : The n-queens problem
is to place n queens on an n × n
chessboard so that no two queens attack
each other by being in the same row or in
the same column or on the same diagonal.
We solve n queens problem by
backtracking technique.
It can be seen that for n =1, the problem
has a trivial solution, and no solution exists
for n =2 and n =3. So first we will consider
the 4 queens problem and then generate it
to n - queens problem.
For 4 queen problem we can get 2 distinct
solutions.
4 queen problem:
So let us consider the four-queens problem and solve
it by the backtracking technique. Since each of the
four queens has to be placed in its own row, all we
need to do is to assign a column for each queen on
the board presented in the following figure.
We assume here that first queen is to placed in first
row, second queen is to placed in second row and so
on.. Such that there is no attack
We start with the empty board and then place queen 1
in the first possible position of its row, which is in
column 1 of row 1.
Then we place queen 2, after trying unsuccessfully for
columns 1 and 2, in the first acceptable position for it,
which is square (2, 3), the square in row 2 and column
3. This proves to be a dead end because there is no
acceptable position for queen 3.
So, the algorithm backtracks and puts queen 2 in the
next possible position at (2, 4). Then queen 3 is placed
at (3, 2), which proves to be another dead end.
The algorithm then backtracks all the way to queen 1
and moves it to (1, 2). Queen 2 then goes to (2, 4),
queen 3 to (3, 1), and queen 4 to (4, 3), which is a
solution to the problem.
If other solutions need to be found the algorithm can
simply resume its operations at the leaf at which it
stopped.
Solution here is : (2,4,1,3)
Which indicates:
First queen is placed in I row second
column
Second queen is placed in II row fourth
column
Two solutions are:
Solution 1 is : (2,4,1,3) Solution 2
is : (3,1,4,2)
Node 0: root node no queens
are placed
Level 1: Placing First
queen
Level 2: Placing
Second queen
Level 3: Placing Third
queen
Level 4: Placing
Fourth queen
Few unique solutions for 8
queen problem
N-queens prblem
Algorithm to find all solutions of n-queens problem
N-queens
prblem
is_safe
()
Travelling Salesman Problem
• Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP): Given a set of
cities and distance between every pair of cities, the
problem is to find the shortest possible route that
visits every city exactly once and returns to the
starting point.
• Note the difference between Hamiltonian Cycle and
TSP. The Hamiltonian cycle problem is to find if there
exist a tour that visits every city exactly once. Here
we know that Hamiltonian Tour exists (because the
graph is complete) and in fact many such tours exist,
the problem is to find a minimum weight Hamiltonian
Cycle.
ASSIGNMENT 12
A 11
C
7
4 3 6
5
B 18
D
10
2
