Best-fit Bin Packing

	Best-fit Bin Packing Best-fit is an online algorithm for bin packing. Its input is a list of items of different sizes. Its output is a ''packing'' - a partition of the items into bins of fixed capacity, such that the sum of sizes of items in each bin is at most the capacity. Ideally, we would like to use as few bins as possible, but minimizing the number of bins is an NP-hard problem. The best-fit algorithm uses the following heuristic A heuristic (; ), or heuristic technique, is any approach to problem solving or self-discovery that employs a practical method that is not guaranteed to be optimal, perfect, or rational, but is nevertheless sufficient for reaching an immediate ...: * It keeps a list of open bins, which is initially empty. * When an item arrives, it finds the bin with the ''maximum load'' into which the item can fit, if any. If such a bin is found, the new item is placed inside it. Otherwise, a new bin is opened and the coming item is placed inside it. Approximation ratio De ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
	Online Algorithm In computer science, an online algorithm is one that can process its input piece-by-piece in a serial fashion, i.e., in the order that the input is fed to the algorithm, without having the entire input available from the start. In contrast, an offline algorithm is given the whole problem data from the beginning and is required to output an answer which solves the problem at hand. In operations research, the area in which online algorithms are developed is called online optimization. As an example, consider the sorting algorithms selection sort and insertion sort: selection sort repeatedly selects the minimum element from the unsorted remainder and places it at the front, which requires access to the entire input; it is thus an offline algorithm. On the other hand, insertion sort considers one input element per iteration and produces a partial solution without considering future elements. Thus insertion sort is an online algorithm. Note that the final result of an insertion sor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
	Bin Packing The bin packing problem is an optimization problem, in which items of different sizes must be packed into a finite number of bins or containers, each of a fixed given capacity, in a way that minimizes the number of bins used. The problem has many applications, such as filling up containers, loading trucks with weight capacity constraints, creating file backups in media and technology mapping in Field-programmable gate array, FPGA semiconductor chip design. Computationally, the problem is NP-hard, and the corresponding decision problem - deciding if items can fit into a specified number of bins - is NP-complete. Despite its worst-case hardness, optimal solutions to very large instances of the problem can be produced with sophisticated algorithms. In addition, many approximation algorithms exist. For example, the First-fit bin packing, first fit algorithm provides a fast but often non-optimal solution, involving placing each item into the first bin in which it will fit. It require ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
	Heuristic A heuristic (; ), or heuristic technique, is any approach to problem solving or self-discovery that employs a practical method that is not guaranteed to be optimal, perfect, or rational, but is nevertheless sufficient for reaching an immediate, short-term goal or approximation. Where finding an optimal solution is impossible or impractical, heuristic methods can be used to speed up the process of finding a satisfactory solution. Heuristics can be mental shortcuts that ease the cognitive load of making a decision. Examples that employ heuristics include using trial and error, a rule of thumb or an educated guess. Heuristics are the strategies derived from previous experiences with similar problems. These strategies depend on using readily accessible, though loosely applicable, information to control problem solving in human beings, machines and abstract issues. When an individual applies a heuristic in practice, it generally performs as expected. However it can alternativ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
	Next-fit Bin Packing Next-fit is an online algorithm for bin packing. Its input is a list of items of different sizes. Its output is a ''packing'' - a partition of the items into bins of fixed capacity, such that the sum of sizes of items in each bin is at most the capacity. Ideally, we would like to use as few bins as possible, but minimizing the number of bins is an NP-hard problem. The next-fit algorithm uses the following heuristic: * It keeps a ''current bin'', which is initially empty. * When an item arrives, it checks whether the item fits into the current bin. If it fits, it is placed inside it. Otherwise, the current bin is closed, a new bin is opened and the coming item is placed inside this new bin. Next-Fit is a bounded space algorithm - it requires only one partially-filled bin to be open at any time. The algorithm was studied by David S. Johnson in his doctoral thesis in 1973. Run time The running time of NextFit can be bounded by \mathcal(n), where n is the number of items in th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]