Week 101 of 125
TAOCP 7 Combinatorial Searching intro (part 2)
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Part 2 covers the long primer on graphs, digraphs and hypergraphs that ends the chapter 7 introduction: terminology, standard families of graphs, ways to combine graphs, and how graphs are represented for algorithms.
Time About 8 hours this week
Why it matters
Graphs are the most common model for real problems (networks, dependencies, maps). Getting the vocabulary precise makes everything after this easier.
Before you start
- 7 intro part 1
- 2.3.4 Mathematical properties of trees
How to approach it
Make a glossary as you read. Draw every named graph family for small sizes. Do not try to memorize every operation on graphs; aim to recognize them later.
Exercises
Do every exercise rated 00 to 20 in your head or on paper; they are quick and they check you actually absorbed the definitions. Then pick two or three rated 20 to 25 (M or not) and grind them out fully. Attempt one M25 to M30 and give yourself a hard 90-minute cap before reading the answer. Always read the answer to every exercise you attempted, even the ones you got, because Knuth's answers often teach a second technique.
Traps
- Getting lost in notation. Keep your glossary handy.