Skip to main content
  • Courses
  • Programs
  • Help
    Getting Started Discussion Forums Help Center & FAQ
Saylor Academy
  • Log in or Sign up

CS303: Algorithms

  1. Home
  2. Courses
  3. (hidden)
  4. CS303: Algorithms
  5. Sections
  6. Unit 7: Greedy Algorithms
Back to course 'CS303: Algorithms'
Log in or Sign up to track your course progress, gain access to final exams, and get a free certificate of completion!
  • Unit 7: Greedy Algorithms

    In this unit, we will look into a common computer science algorithm technique called the greedy algorithms. Like the dynamic programming paradigm, greedy algorithms typically apply to optimization problems in which a set of choices must be made in order to arrive at an optimal solution. The idea of greedy algorithm is to make each choice in a locally optimal manner. We will explore some common greedy algorithms in use today as a way of explaining the topic in this unit.

    Completing this unit should take you approximately 7 hours.

    • Upon successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

      • Describe greedy algorithms and their applications.
    • 7.1: Introduction to Greedy Algorithms

      • University of California, Berkeley: S. Dasgupta, C.H. Papadimitriou, and U.V. Vazirani's "Greedy Algorithms" URL

        Read Chapter 5 of S. Dasgupta, C.H. Papadimitriou, and U.V. Vazirani's book Algorithms.

    • 7.2: Greedy Algorithms - Part I

      • Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay: Dr. Sunder Viswanathan's "Greedy Algorithms - I" Page

        Watch this video to learn about greedy algorithms.

    • 7.3: Greedy Algorithms - Part II

      • Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay: Dr. Sunder Viswanathan's "Greedy Algorithms - II" Page

        Watch this video to learn about greedy algorithms.

    • 7.4: Greedy Algorithms - Part III

      • Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay: Dr. Sunder Viswanathan's "Greedy Algorithms - III" Page

        Watch this video to learn about greedy algorithms.

      • Wikipedia: "Recursion" URL

        Read this article to learn about the mathematical concept behind the idea of recursion.

      • Greedy Algorithms Assignment URL

        Complete all questions in this activity. There is one question on the minimum spanning tree problem requiring two implementations using the Kruskal's algorithm and the Prim's algorithm. You can check your answers against the Answer Key.

Skip Other students also took...
Other students also took...

Loading course recommendations...

Courses
Programs
Help
Getting Started
Discussion Forums
Help Center & FAQ
CS303: Algorithms
Sections
Course Introduction
Unit 1: Introduction to Algorithms
Unit 2: Introduction to Analysis of Algorithms
Unit 3: Divide and Conquer Method
Unit 4: Sorting Algorithms
Unit 5: Dynamic Programming
Unit 6: Graph Theory and Graph Algorithms
Unit 7: Greedy Algorithms
Unit 8: NP-Completeness
Final Exam
Resources
Activities
Quizzes
About Saylor Academy
Blog
College Credit Partners
Saylor Academy
  • About

  • Partners

  • Blog

  • Contact

Saylor Academy

© Saylor Academy 2010-2019 except as otherwise noted. Excluding course final exams, content authored by Saylor Academy is available under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Third-party materials are the copyright of their respective owners and shared under various licenses. See detailed licensing information.

Saylor Academy and Saylor.org® are trade names of the Constitution Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization through which our educational activities are conducted.

"CCBY"

Sitemap | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

Data retention summary
Get the mobile app
Policies