Christofides algorithm (by hand) (suboptimal solution - is it my fault?)











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I would like to calculate an eularian path using Christofides algorithm on this graph: (Focus on the first number in each box representing the distance)





  • $alpha$ denotes the start and end vertex of the Eulerian path
    enter image description here





Step 1 - Calculate minimum spanning tree $T$



enter image description hereenter image description here






Step 2 - Calculate the set of verices $O$ with odd degree in $T$



enter image description hereenter image description here






Step 3 - Form the subgraph of $G$ using only the vertices of $O$



This is starting to get confusing



enter image description here



enter image description hereenter image description here






Step 4 - Construct a minimum-weight perfect matching $M$ in this subgraph



enter image description here






Step 5 - Unite matching and spanning tree $T$ and $M$ to form an Eulerian multigraph



enter image description here





I am NOT satisfied



Did I do something wrong or did I simply just hit an sub-optimal solution.
It is not hard to see that the Eulerian path easily could be improved by either connection $G rightarrow H$ or $A rightarrow B$ as illustrated underneath:



enter image description here










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  • Christofides’ algorithm is an approximation algorithm. It is not guaranteed to produce an optimal solution.
    – Yuval Filmus
    8 hours ago










  • @YuvalFilmus That's why I am questioning whether I just hit a sub-optimal solution, however, it could also be a result of an error. I am new to the field of graph theory. All the terms are new to me, and so I could likely have made an error. Can you approve I did it right?
    – Sebastian Nielsen
    7 hours ago










  • I’m not going to check your solution. I can help you with any conceptual difficulties.
    – Yuval Filmus
    7 hours ago















up vote
2
down vote

favorite












I would like to calculate an eularian path using Christofides algorithm on this graph: (Focus on the first number in each box representing the distance)





  • $alpha$ denotes the start and end vertex of the Eulerian path
    enter image description here





Step 1 - Calculate minimum spanning tree $T$



enter image description hereenter image description here






Step 2 - Calculate the set of verices $O$ with odd degree in $T$



enter image description hereenter image description here






Step 3 - Form the subgraph of $G$ using only the vertices of $O$



This is starting to get confusing



enter image description here



enter image description hereenter image description here






Step 4 - Construct a minimum-weight perfect matching $M$ in this subgraph



enter image description here






Step 5 - Unite matching and spanning tree $T$ and $M$ to form an Eulerian multigraph



enter image description here





I am NOT satisfied



Did I do something wrong or did I simply just hit an sub-optimal solution.
It is not hard to see that the Eulerian path easily could be improved by either connection $G rightarrow H$ or $A rightarrow B$ as illustrated underneath:



enter image description here










share|cite|improve this question
























  • Christofides’ algorithm is an approximation algorithm. It is not guaranteed to produce an optimal solution.
    – Yuval Filmus
    8 hours ago










  • @YuvalFilmus That's why I am questioning whether I just hit a sub-optimal solution, however, it could also be a result of an error. I am new to the field of graph theory. All the terms are new to me, and so I could likely have made an error. Can you approve I did it right?
    – Sebastian Nielsen
    7 hours ago










  • I’m not going to check your solution. I can help you with any conceptual difficulties.
    – Yuval Filmus
    7 hours ago













up vote
2
down vote

favorite









up vote
2
down vote

favorite











I would like to calculate an eularian path using Christofides algorithm on this graph: (Focus on the first number in each box representing the distance)





  • $alpha$ denotes the start and end vertex of the Eulerian path
    enter image description here





Step 1 - Calculate minimum spanning tree $T$



enter image description hereenter image description here






Step 2 - Calculate the set of verices $O$ with odd degree in $T$



enter image description hereenter image description here






Step 3 - Form the subgraph of $G$ using only the vertices of $O$



This is starting to get confusing



enter image description here



enter image description hereenter image description here






Step 4 - Construct a minimum-weight perfect matching $M$ in this subgraph



enter image description here






Step 5 - Unite matching and spanning tree $T$ and $M$ to form an Eulerian multigraph



enter image description here





I am NOT satisfied



Did I do something wrong or did I simply just hit an sub-optimal solution.
It is not hard to see that the Eulerian path easily could be improved by either connection $G rightarrow H$ or $A rightarrow B$ as illustrated underneath:



enter image description here










share|cite|improve this question















I would like to calculate an eularian path using Christofides algorithm on this graph: (Focus on the first number in each box representing the distance)





  • $alpha$ denotes the start and end vertex of the Eulerian path
    enter image description here





Step 1 - Calculate minimum spanning tree $T$



enter image description hereenter image description here






Step 2 - Calculate the set of verices $O$ with odd degree in $T$



enter image description hereenter image description here






Step 3 - Form the subgraph of $G$ using only the vertices of $O$



This is starting to get confusing



enter image description here



enter image description hereenter image description here






Step 4 - Construct a minimum-weight perfect matching $M$ in this subgraph



enter image description here






Step 5 - Unite matching and spanning tree $T$ and $M$ to form an Eulerian multigraph



enter image description here





I am NOT satisfied



Did I do something wrong or did I simply just hit an sub-optimal solution.
It is not hard to see that the Eulerian path easily could be improved by either connection $G rightarrow H$ or $A rightarrow B$ as illustrated underneath:



enter image description here







algorithms graphs graph-theory matching spanning-trees






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edited 8 hours ago

























asked 8 hours ago









Sebastian Nielsen

1164




1164












  • Christofides’ algorithm is an approximation algorithm. It is not guaranteed to produce an optimal solution.
    – Yuval Filmus
    8 hours ago










  • @YuvalFilmus That's why I am questioning whether I just hit a sub-optimal solution, however, it could also be a result of an error. I am new to the field of graph theory. All the terms are new to me, and so I could likely have made an error. Can you approve I did it right?
    – Sebastian Nielsen
    7 hours ago










  • I’m not going to check your solution. I can help you with any conceptual difficulties.
    – Yuval Filmus
    7 hours ago


















  • Christofides’ algorithm is an approximation algorithm. It is not guaranteed to produce an optimal solution.
    – Yuval Filmus
    8 hours ago










  • @YuvalFilmus That's why I am questioning whether I just hit a sub-optimal solution, however, it could also be a result of an error. I am new to the field of graph theory. All the terms are new to me, and so I could likely have made an error. Can you approve I did it right?
    – Sebastian Nielsen
    7 hours ago










  • I’m not going to check your solution. I can help you with any conceptual difficulties.
    – Yuval Filmus
    7 hours ago
















Christofides’ algorithm is an approximation algorithm. It is not guaranteed to produce an optimal solution.
– Yuval Filmus
8 hours ago




Christofides’ algorithm is an approximation algorithm. It is not guaranteed to produce an optimal solution.
– Yuval Filmus
8 hours ago












@YuvalFilmus That's why I am questioning whether I just hit a sub-optimal solution, however, it could also be a result of an error. I am new to the field of graph theory. All the terms are new to me, and so I could likely have made an error. Can you approve I did it right?
– Sebastian Nielsen
7 hours ago




@YuvalFilmus That's why I am questioning whether I just hit a sub-optimal solution, however, it could also be a result of an error. I am new to the field of graph theory. All the terms are new to me, and so I could likely have made an error. Can you approve I did it right?
– Sebastian Nielsen
7 hours ago












I’m not going to check your solution. I can help you with any conceptual difficulties.
– Yuval Filmus
7 hours ago




I’m not going to check your solution. I can help you with any conceptual difficulties.
– Yuval Filmus
7 hours ago










1 Answer
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4
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As mentioned by Yuval, Christofides’ algorithm is an approximation algorithm to the travelling salesman problem. It is not guaranteed to produce an optimal solution. So it is not unexpected that you could end up with a sub-optimal solution of



On the other hand, you did make a mistake while computing the minimal spanning tree. In your step 1 that calculates the minimum spanning tree, edge H$alpha$ should be replaced by edge HG.






share|cite|improve this answer























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    1 Answer
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    active

    oldest

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    1 Answer
    1






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes








    up vote
    4
    down vote













    As mentioned by Yuval, Christofides’ algorithm is an approximation algorithm to the travelling salesman problem. It is not guaranteed to produce an optimal solution. So it is not unexpected that you could end up with a sub-optimal solution of



    On the other hand, you did make a mistake while computing the minimal spanning tree. In your step 1 that calculates the minimum spanning tree, edge H$alpha$ should be replaced by edge HG.






    share|cite|improve this answer



























      up vote
      4
      down vote













      As mentioned by Yuval, Christofides’ algorithm is an approximation algorithm to the travelling salesman problem. It is not guaranteed to produce an optimal solution. So it is not unexpected that you could end up with a sub-optimal solution of



      On the other hand, you did make a mistake while computing the minimal spanning tree. In your step 1 that calculates the minimum spanning tree, edge H$alpha$ should be replaced by edge HG.






      share|cite|improve this answer

























        up vote
        4
        down vote










        up vote
        4
        down vote









        As mentioned by Yuval, Christofides’ algorithm is an approximation algorithm to the travelling salesman problem. It is not guaranteed to produce an optimal solution. So it is not unexpected that you could end up with a sub-optimal solution of



        On the other hand, you did make a mistake while computing the minimal spanning tree. In your step 1 that calculates the minimum spanning tree, edge H$alpha$ should be replaced by edge HG.






        share|cite|improve this answer














        As mentioned by Yuval, Christofides’ algorithm is an approximation algorithm to the travelling salesman problem. It is not guaranteed to produce an optimal solution. So it is not unexpected that you could end up with a sub-optimal solution of



        On the other hand, you did make a mistake while computing the minimal spanning tree. In your step 1 that calculates the minimum spanning tree, edge H$alpha$ should be replaced by edge HG.







        share|cite|improve this answer














        share|cite|improve this answer



        share|cite|improve this answer








        edited 5 hours ago

























        answered 6 hours ago









        Apass.Jack

        4,6351329




        4,6351329






























             

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