1. Computing Automation John McClellan Reading Community Schools—Math Models A
RET is funded by the National Science Foundation, grant # EEC
Summer Research
Classroom Application
The Big Idea
Challenge-Based Learning:
Student-lead, problem-focused as opposed to the traditional teacher-led, curriculum-focused.
Traveling Salesman Problem:
Given a number of cities and their locations, what is the optimal route to visit each city exactly once?
Considered to be “NP-hard”
Practical solutions are examined
Speed of algorithm and minimal distance is goal
Genetic Algorithms:
Applying principles of Darwinism (natural selection, migrations, etc.)
Broad population of elements in order to optimize over a number of generations (or iterations)
It allows for large diversity of options to be considered.
Creative Commons
Creative Commons
Students, Be Prepared to…
Learn another language
Play video games for homework
Mess around in another number system
Prove you are smarter than a computer (you are!)
… and much more!
UC Aerospace Program:
Aerospace program (left) and drone field trip (right)
Both use the concept of AI
Results
Engineering
Input:
20 cities
100 generations
100 routes
Output
< 6 average distance, 10 secs
Above:
Final minimum distance route
Right:
Tracking lowest distance and average distance