Algorithmic Completeness

Some tasks may require one, many or all solutions

  • A Complete search space contains all solutions, while an incomplete search space only contains some possible solutions
  • Exhaustive search explores entire space (assuming it is finite) and will find solution if one exists

Pruning

Pruning rules out certain operators in certain states. For example, we may remove invalid moves when solving chess because there is no point in searching invalid space.

  • The space is still complete if no solutions are pruned
  • The strategy is still complete if not all solutions are pruned