A Novel Genetic Algorithm using Helper Objectives for the 0-1 Knapsack Problem

The 0-1 knapsack problem is a well-known combinatorial optimisation problem. Approximation algorithms have been designed for solving it and they return provably good solutions within polynomial time. On the other hand, genetic algorithms are well suited for solving the knapsack problem and they find reasonably good solutions quickly. A naturally arising question is whether genetic algorithms are able to find solutions as good as approximation algorithms do. This paper presents a novel multi-objective optimisation genetic algorithm for solving the 0-1 knapsack problem. Experiment results show that the new algorithm outperforms its rivals, the greedy algorithm, mixed strategy genetic algorithm, and greedy algorithm + mixed strategy genetic algorithm

Mixed strategy may outperform pure strategy: An initial study

In pure strategy meta-heuristics, only one search strategy is applied for all time. In mixed strategy meta-heuristics, each time one search strategy is chosen from a strategy pool with a probability and then is applied. An example is classical genetic algorithms, where either a mutation or crossover operator is chosen with a probability each time. The aim of this paper is to compare the performance between mixed strategy and pure strategy meta-heuristic algorithms. First an experimental study is implemented and results demonstrate that mixed strategy evolutionary algorithms may outperform pure strategy evolutionary algorithms on the 0-1 knapsack problem in up to 77.8% instances. Then Complementary Strategy Theorem is rigorously proven for applying mixed strategy at the population level. The theorem asserts that given two meta-heuristic algorithms where one uses pure strategy 1 and another uses pure strategy 2, the condition of pure strategy 2 being complementary to pure strategy 1 is sufficient and necessary if there exists a mixed strategy meta-heuristics derived from these two pure strategies and its expected number of generations to find an optimal solution is no more than that of using pure strategy 1 for any initial population, and less than that of using pure strategy 1 for some initial population

Gravitational Deflection of Light: A Heuristic Derivation at the Undergraduate Level

In this paper, we present a new heuristic derivation of the gravitational deflection of light around the Sun at the undergraduate level. Instead of solving the geodesic equation directly, we compute the correct deflection angle by focusing on the acceleration term of null geodesics. Using this heuristic deviation, we expect that undergraduate students who have not learned general relativity will be able to experience this computation, which is one of the most remarkable evidences of general relativity.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figure