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Only left the parts that are relevant to 2020
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ab3735 committed Mar 23, 2020
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# Background

- Only giving the "popular science" definition of TSP. You need to be more precise/technical, using appropriate notation.
- Defining multiple versions of TSP and not being clear on which version you are studying.
- Not defining the actual variant of TSP that you worked on. For example, **Euclidean TSP** specifies "vertices on the plane" using (x,y) coordinates, and the distance between vertices is then calculated using Pythagoras Theorem. You then also need to check this version is still NP-hard, and cite a reference to confirm this fact.
- The given definition of TSP suggests optimising **time**, when it should be optimising **cost** (sum of weights).
- Confusing "problem definition" with "algorithm/solution method".
- **Problem**: gives a description of the encoding of a problem, and then asks for property.
For TSP: this is "given a weighted complete graph … find the shortest cycle."
- **Algorithm**: a step by step mechanism that we can use to program a computer to use the problem's description and recover the required property.
This is usually described using pseudocode, and then implemented in real code.
- It is more accurate to refer to TSP as "computational (optimisation) problem" rather than "mathematical problem".
- Define number of nodes in graph to be N but then use n later. (Symbols are case sensitive.)
- In the literature, a graph G=(V,E) is specified by sets V of vertices and E of edges. V and E are **not** numbers - they are sets.
- Using N for both the "set of nodes" and its size.
- Mistakes in understanding the meaning of NP-hard.
- Mistakenly stating that the **optimisation version** of TSP is in NP. It's not because it is not a **decision problem**. NP only contains **decision** problem - nothing else!
- Justifying NP-hardness by reducing TSP to another NP-complete problem, when it should be the other way round.
- Stated that exhaustive search is inefficient but did not say why.
- Exhaustive search costs O(n!), not O((n-1)!).

# Methodology

- Methodology not stated explicitly in the text, e.g. parameters of generation, what is measured and what is averaged.
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- Time without units (e.g. seconds or minutes?)
- Accuracy without units (e.g. percentage?)

# Reflection

- Did not identify any transferable skills or knowledge gained from the project.
- Identified some gains but did not specify exactly how they will help in the future.
- Identified some weaknesses but did not give concrete suggestions on how to improve them.

# References

- Not referencing the first paper that proved a fact, e.g. that TSP is NP-hard.

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