Solution Methods Sample Clauses

Solution Methods. ‌ The main methods recognized when studying or solving combinatorial optimization problems are exact and approximation methods. Exact methods are usually based on full enumeration and give optimal solutions but are limited to small problem instances and models; approximation methods do not guarantee an optimal solution but use good bounds on the solution. Lastly, heuristics unlike approximation methods do not give any bounds on the solution but in practice have been found to give quite good solutions. Metaheuristics have also been applied as they have the advantage of escaping local optima[12].