Department of Information Technology | APSIT
Department of Information Technology | APSIT
Department of Information Technology | APSIT
Department of Information Technology | APSIT
Department of Information Technology | APSIT
A* Algorithm extends the path that minimizes the following function-
f(n) = g(n) + h(n)
Here,
‘n’ is the last node on the path
g(n) is the cost of the path from start node to node ‘n’
h(n) is a heuristic function that estimates cost of the cheapest path from node ‘n’ to the goal
node
Algorithm-
The implementation of A* Algorithm involves maintaining two lists- OPEN and CLOSED.
OPEN contains those nodes that have been evaluated by the heuristic function but have not
been expanded into successors yet.
CLOSED contains those nodes that have already been visited.
The algorithm is as follows-
Step-01:
Define a list OPEN.
Initially, OPEN consists solely of a single node, the start node S.
Step-02:
If the list is empty, return failure and exit.
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Step-03:
Remove node n with the smallest value of f(n) from OPEN and move it to list CLOSED.
If node n is a goal state, return success and exit.
Step-04:
Expand node n.
Step-05:
If any successor to n is the goal node, return success and the solution by tracing the path
from goal node to S.
Otherwise, go to Step-06.
Step-06:
For each successor node,
Apply the evaluation function f to the node.
If the node has not been in either list, add it to OPEN.
Step-07:
Go back to Step-02.
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The numbers written on edges represent the distance between the nodes.
The numbers written on nodes represent the heuristic value.
Find the most cost-effective path to reach from start state A to final state J using A* Algorithm.
Solution-
Step-01:
We start with node A.
Node B and Node F can be reached from node A.
A* Algorithm calculates f(B) and f(F).
f(B) = 6 + 8 = 14
f(F) = 3 + 6 = 9
Since f(F) < f(B), so it decides to go to node F.
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Path- A → F
Step-02:
Node G and Node H can be reached from node F.
A* Algorithm calculates f(G) and f(H).
f(G) = (3+1) + 5 = 9
f(H) = (3+7) + 3 = 13
Since f(G) < f(H), so it decides to go to node G.
Path- A → F → G
Step-03:
Node I can be reached from node G.
A* Algorithm calculates f(I).
f(I) = (3+1+3) + 1 = 8
It decides to go to node I.
Path- A → F → G → I
Step-04:
Node E, Node H and Node J can be reached from node I.
A* Algorithm calculates f(E), f(H) and f(J).
f(E) = (3+1+3+5) + 3 = 15
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f(H) = (3+1+3+2) + 3 = 12
f(J) = (3+1+3+3) + 0 = 10
Since f(J) is least, so it decides to go to node J.
Path- A → F → G → I → J
It is important to note that-
A* Algorithm is one of the best path finding algorithms.
But it does not produce the shortest path always.
This is because it heavily depends on heuristics.
Department of Information Technology | APSIT