CMSC-5343 Algorithm Analysis

Homework 3 - 200 pt

Below, you will find the problems assigned for this assignment. Please elec-
tronically submit your assignment to blackboard.

1. Given a grid of integers (positive or negative), give a dynamic programming

algorithm that will determine the minimum path from the upper left corner to
the lower right corner, where you are allowed to move down, right, and up.

2. Why does memoization not improve the runtime of Merge Sort?

3. Give an O(n2 )-time algorithm to find the longest monotonically increasing

subsequence of a sequence of n numbers.

4. Prove that the fractional knapsack problem has the greedy choice property.

5. Suppose that in an instance of the 0-1 knapsack problem, the order of

items when sorted by increasing weight is the same as the order when sorted
by decreasing value. Give an efficient algorithm to solve this version of the
knapsack problem.

6. Suppose you have n coins in a row, and the kth coin in the row has the value
vk . You play a 2-player game, where each player takes turns removing a single
coin: either the first or last coin in a row. For example, suppose we have 5 coins
in the row, and the values are v1 = 5, v2 = 10, v3 = 15, v4 = 5, v5 = 10. On
your first turn, you could take coin 1, giving you a value of 5, or coin 5, giving
you a value of 10. Then, your opponent could take one from either end (either
1,4 or 2,5, depending on your first move). The best you can do is to take coin
5 (+10), your opponent will then take coin 1 (+5), you then take coin 2 (+10),
your opponent takes coin 3 (+15), and then you take coin 4 (+5). This leaves
you with a value of 25 and your opponent with a value of 20.
Given an arbitrary number of coins n and a list v1 ...vn of values, give a
dynamic programming algorithm to determine the maximum value that you
can get in this game, assuming you go first.

7. Suppose you have n identical glass balls. There is a building which is d

floors high. There is a floor k, where if you drop a ball from floor k or higher,
it will shatter, and if you drop a ball from below floor k, it will not shatter. An
unbroken ball can be dropped multiple times.
Devise a dynamic programming algorithm which will determine the mini-
mum number of drops necessary to locate floor k. Analyze its runtime.
(For example, when there is one ball, you must try every floor one at a time.
However, when you have a second ball, you might start higher up the building,
then go back down if it breaks.)