Data Structures and Algorithms Arfan Shahzad

{ arfanskp@gmail.com }
 Shortest Path Problem
• The shortest path problem is the problem of finding a path between two
vertices (or nodes) in a graph such that the sum of the weights of its
constituent edges is minimized.

• Shortest path

• The problem of finding the shortest path between two intersections

(nodes) on a road map may be modeled as a special case of the shortest
path problem in graphs.
 Shortest Path Problem cont…

Shortest path (A, C, E, D, F) between vertices A (6, 4, 5, 1) and (6, 4, 3, 2, 1) are both
and F in the weighted directed graph paths between vertices 6 and 1
 Shortest Path Problem cont…
• The most important algorithms for solving this problem are:
1. Dijkstra's algorithm.
2. Bellman–Ford algorithm.
3. A* search algorithm.
4. Floyd–Warshall algorithm.
5. Johnson's algorithm.
6. Viterbi algorithm.
 Shortest Path Problem cont…
• The most important algorithms for solving this problem are:
1. Dijkstra's algorithm.
2. Bellman–Ford algorithm.
3. A* search algorithm.
4. Floyd–Warshall algorithm.
5. Johnson's algorithm.
6. Viterbi algorithm.
 Shortest Path Problem cont…
Dijkstra's algorithm
• Dijkstra's algorithm is an algorithm for finding the shortest paths
between nodes in a graph, which may represent, for example, road
networks.

• It was perceived by computer scientist Edsger W. Dijkstra in 1956 and

published three years later.
 Shortest Path Problem cont…
Dijkstra's algorithm
• Blue circles are nodes/ vertices.

• Black lines are edges/ paths/ links.

• The numbers on the node paths represent

the "cost" of going between nodes.

• Our problem is to find most cost

efficient route from Node1 to 4.
 Shortest Path Problem cont…
Dijkstra's algorithm
• The shortest path from Node1 to Node4 is to take Node1 to Node3 to
Node4, as that is the path where the least cost is incurred.

• Specifically, the cost to go from Node1 to Node3 is (2), plus the cost
of Node3 to Node4 (5) is 7 (2 + 5).

• Now, we can see that the alternative (Node1 to Node2 to Node4) is

much more costly (it costs 11, versus our 7).
 Shortest Path Problem cont…
Dijkstra's algorithm
• Find the Shortest Paths of following graph using Dijkstra’s Algorithm?
 Shortest Path Problem cont…
Dijkstra's algorithm
• Possible shortest paths from node A to F are give below:

• A->B->D->F  1+3+3  7

• A->C->E->F  2+2+3  7

• A->B->E->F  1+2+3  6

• A->B->C->D->F  1+1+1+3  6

• A->C->D->F  2+1+3  6
 Shortest Path Problem cont…
Dijkstra's algorithm
• So the Shortest paths are:

• A->B->E->F  1+2+3  6

• A->C->D->F  2+1+3  6

• A->B->C->D->F  1+1+1+3  6