Approximation algorithms for the traveling salesman problem

• Grant number: 18/13448-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2018
• End date: August 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Computer Science - Theory of Computation
• Principal Investigator: Mário César San Felice
• Grantee: Rodrigo Prata Salmen
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP), in which there is a set of cities and we want to know the circuit with minimum length that traverses each of them exactly once, is of central importance in the field of combinatorial optimization and has a lot of applications in many areas, such as: planning, logistics and microchips manufacture. In this project, we are interested in both the problem's most well-known version, the metric TSP, as well as in some particular cases and generalizations of it. This project aims to introduce the candidate to scientific research, as well as to complement his background in computer science, by deepening his knowledge in the field of combinatorial optimization. Furthermore, we intend to devise a technical report that can be useful for other students who are beginning their studies in this topic.