computer science Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, information theory, and automation) to practical disciplines (includi ...

, a goal node is a

node In general, a node is a localized swelling (a "knot") or a point of intersection (a vertex). Node may refer to: In mathematics * Vertex (graph theory), a vertex in a mathematical graph *Vertex (geometry), a point where two or more curves, lines ...

in a

graph Graph may refer to: Mathematics *Graph (discrete mathematics), a structure made of vertices and edges **Graph theory, the study of such graphs and their properties *Graph (topology), a topological space resembling a graph in the sense of discre ...

that meets defined criteria for success or termination. Heuristical

artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence—perceiving, synthesizing, and inferring information—demonstrated by machines, as opposed to intelligence displayed by animals and humans. Example tasks in which this is done include speech r ...

algorithms, like A* and B*, attempt to reach such nodes in optimal time by defining the distance to the goal node. When the goal node is reached, A* defines the distance to the goal node as 0 and all other nodes' distances as positive values.

References

*N.J. Nilsson ''Principles of Artificial Intelligence'' (1982 Birkhäuser) p. 63

References

See also