metaheuristic
<algorithm, complexity, computability> A top-level general strategy which
guides other heuristics to search for feasible solutions in domains where the
task is hard.
Metaheuristics have been most generally applied to problems classified as
NP-Hard or NP-Complete by the theory of computational complexity. However,
metaheuristics would also be applied to other combinatorial optimisation
problems for which it is known that a polynomial-time solution exists but is not
practical.
Examples of metaheuristics are Tabu Search, simulated annealing, genetic
algorithms and memetic algorithms.
(1997-10-30)
Nearby terms:
META element « metafile « METAFONT « metaheuristic »
Meta-II » metainformation » Meta-IV
