OR-Tools is an open-source software suite developed by Google for solving optimization problems. It is specifically designed to facilitate operations research (OR) and combinatorial optimization, making it useful for a wide range of applications, from logistics and supply chain management to scheduling and routing. Key features of OR-Tools include: 1. **Problem Solvers**: It provides various algorithms for solving linear programming, mixed-integer programming, constraint programming, and routing problems.
Pattern search is a derivative-free optimization method used to find the minimum or maximum of a function, especially when the function is noisy, non-smooth, or lacks a known gradient. It is particularly useful in scenarios where traditional optimization techniques, such as gradient descent, may fail due to the nature of the objective function.
Quantum annealing is a quantum computing technique used to solve optimization problems. It leverages the principles of quantum mechanics, particularly quantum superposition and quantum tunneling, to find the global minimum of a given objective function more efficiently than classical methods. Here are some key points about quantum annealing: 1. **Optimization Problems**: Quantum annealing is particularly useful for problems where the goal is to minimize or maximize a cost function, often framed as finding the best configuration of a system among many possibilities.
Sequential Minimal Optimization (SMO) is an algorithm used for training support vector machines (SVM), which are a type of supervised machine learning model. Developed by John Platt in 1998, SMO provides a way to efficiently solve the optimization problem associated with training a SVM, specifically the quadratic programming problem that arises from maximizing the margin between different classes in the data.
The space allocation problem typically refers to the challenge of efficiently allocating limited resources, such as space, to various tasks or items in a way that optimizes a specific objective. While the term can be applied in different contexts, it commonly appears in fields like operations research, computer science, urban planning, and logistics.
Pseudo-polynomial time refers to a classification of algorithmic complexity that is related to the performance of algorithms specifically in the context of certain types of integer-based problems. An algorithm is said to run in pseudo-polynomial time if its running time is polynomial in the numeric value of the input, rather than the size of the input in terms of the number of bits it takes to represent that input.
A Random Number Generator (RNG) attack refers to an exploitation of weaknesses in the random number generation process, particularly in cryptographic systems. Random numbers are crucial for various security mechanisms, including encryption keys, session tokens, and other elements that rely on randomness for their security properties. If an attacker can predict or reproduce the random numbers being used, they can potentially break the security of the system. ### Types of RNG Attacks 1.
The Solitaire cipher is a manual encryption algorithm that was invented by Bruce Schneier and described in his 1999 novel "Cryptonomicon." It is designed for use with pen and paper, making it particularly useful for situations where electronic devices may not be secure or available. The Solitaire cipher combines elements of card shuffling and keystream generation.
Amplitude amplification is a technique used in quantum computing to increase the probability of measuring a desired outcome in a quantum state. It is most famously implemented in the Grover's algorithm, which is designed for searching an unsorted database or solving combinatorial problems more efficiently than classical algorithms. ### Key Concepts: 1. **Superposition**: In quantum computing, a quantum system can exist in multiple states simultaneously, called superposition.
Gestalt pattern matching is a cognitive theory that describes how individuals perceive and identify patterns in complex information. It draws from the principles of Gestalt psychology, which emphasizes holistic processing and the idea that the human mind tends to perceive entire structures rather than merely the sum of their parts. In the context of pattern recognition, Gestalt pattern matching refers to the cognitive process by which people recognize and interpret stimuli based on their overall form or configuration, rather than focusing solely on individual components or details.
In computer science, a "gadget" can refer to a few different concepts depending on the context. Here are a couple of common interpretations: 1. **Gadget in Cryptography**: In the context of cryptography, a gadget often refers to a small, modular piece of code or function that can be reused in larger cryptographic constructions.
Parsimonious reduction is a concept often discussed in the context of model selection, data analysis, and statistical modeling. The term "parsimonious" refers to the principle of simplicity or minimalism, suggesting that when choosing between competing models, one should prefer the simplest model that adequately explains the data. In statistical modeling, parsimonious reduction involves: 1. **Model Simplification**: Reducing the complexity of a model by eliminating unnecessary variables or parameters.
Sidi's generalized secant method is an iterative numerical technique used for finding roots of non-linear equations. It is an extension of the traditional secant method, which approximates the roots of a function using secants, or straight lines, between points on the function's graph.
Augmented tree-based routing is a strategy used primarily in network routing, particularly in the context of data communication and distributed systems. The concept revolves around leveraging tree structures for efficient routing of data packets while also incorporating enhancements that improve performance, reliability, or scalability. ### Key Concepts of Augmented Tree-Based Routing: 1. **Tree Structure**: A tree structure is a hierarchical model where there is a single root node, and each node can link to multiple child nodes but only to one parent node.
Hashing is a process used to convert data of any size into a fixed-size string of characters, which is typically a sequence of alphanumeric characters. This process utilizes mathematical algorithms known as hash functions. The output, called a hash value or hash code, is unique (within practical limits) to the specific input data. ### Key Characteristics of Hashing: 1. **Deterministic**: The same input will always produce the same hash output.
An **Anytime algorithm** is a type of algorithm that can provide a valid solution to a problem even if it is interrupted before it has fully completed its execution. This means that the algorithm can be run for a variable amount of time, and it will return the best solution it has found up to that point when it finishes or is stopped.
Best Bin First (BBF) is a data structure and algorithmic technique often used in spatial data management, particularly in the context of algorithms for spatial queries, such as closest point searching, range searching, or other location-based queries. The BBF approach involves the following concepts: 1. **Spatial Data Partitioning**: Spatial data is divided into bins or regions based on certain characteristics (e.g., spatial location). Each bin can contain one or more data points.
Combinatorial search refers to a set of methods and techniques used to explore and solve problems that can be represented as a combination of discrete elements. These problems often involve finding optimal arrangements or selections from a finite set of possibilities, where the number of possible solutions increases exponentially with the size of the input. Key aspects of combinatorial search include: 1. **Problem Representation**: Problems are often represented in terms of combinatorial structures such as graphs, trees, or sets.
Fractional cascading is a data structure technique used to optimize the search operations across multiple, related data structures, often to improve the efficiency of searching in a multi-level or multi-dimensional context. The main idea behind fractional cascading is to create a way to quickly locate an item across several sorted lists (or other data structures).
Query expansion is a technique used in information retrieval systems to improve the accuracy and relevance of search results by enhancing the original query with additional terms or phrases. The goal of query expansion is to broaden the search scope and capture documents that may not contain the exact terms originally used in the query but are still relevant to the user's intent.

Pinned article: Introduction to the OurBigBook Project

Welcome to the OurBigBook Project! Our goal is to create the perfect publishing platform for STEM subjects, and get university-level students to write the best free STEM tutorials ever.
Everyone is welcome to create an account and play with the site: ourbigbook.com/go/register. We belive that students themselves can write amazing tutorials, but teachers are welcome too. You can write about anything you want, it doesn't have to be STEM or even educational. Silly test content is very welcome and you won't be penalized in any way. Just keep it legal!
We have two killer features:
  1. topics: topics group articles by different users with the same title, e.g. here is the topic for the "Fundamental Theorem of Calculus" ourbigbook.com/go/topic/fundamental-theorem-of-calculus
    Articles of different users are sorted by upvote within each article page. This feature is a bit like:
    • a Wikipedia where each user can have their own version of each article
    • a Q&A website like Stack Overflow, where multiple people can give their views on a given topic, and the best ones are sorted by upvote. Except you don't need to wait for someone to ask first, and any topic goes, no matter how narrow or broad
    This feature makes it possible for readers to find better explanations of any topic created by other writers. And it allows writers to create an explanation in a place that readers might actually find it.
    Figure 1.
    Screenshot of the "Derivative" topic page
    . View it live at: ourbigbook.com/go/topic/derivative
  2. local editing: you can store all your personal knowledge base content locally in a plaintext markup format that can be edited locally and published either:
    This way you can be sure that even if OurBigBook.com were to go down one day (which we have no plans to do as it is quite cheap to host!), your content will still be perfectly readable as a static site.
    Figure 2.
    You can publish local OurBigBook lightweight markup files to either https://OurBigBook.com or as a static website
    .
    Figure 3.
    Visual Studio Code extension installation
    .
    Figure 4.
    Visual Studio Code extension tree navigation
    .
    Figure 5.
    Web editor
    . You can also edit articles on the Web editor without installing anything locally.
    Video 3.
    Edit locally and publish demo
    . Source. This shows editing OurBigBook Markup and publishing it using the Visual Studio Code extension.
    Video 4.
    OurBigBook Visual Studio Code extension editing and navigation demo
    . Source.
  3. https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook-media/master/feature/x/hilbert-space-arrow.png
  4. Infinitely deep tables of contents:
    Figure 6.
    Dynamic article tree with infinitely deep table of contents
    .
    Descendant pages can also show up as toplevel e.g.: ourbigbook.com/cirosantilli/chordate-subclade
All our software is open source and hosted at: github.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook
Further documentation can be found at: docs.ourbigbook.com
Feel free to reach our to us for any help or suggestions: docs.ourbigbook.com/#contact