What does admissible heuristic mean?

A heuristic that never overestimates the true remaining cost to the goal. A* search with an admissible heuristic is guaranteed to return an optimal path; straight-line distance is admissible on a flat mat.

Also written as: admissible heuristics, admissible

In a lesson

The heuristic decides. A heuristic is admissible if it never overestimates the real remaining cost.

Learn it

• Taught in A5.8 A* search Algorithms and complexity, A level

Used in

• A5.9 Project: plan the route, then drive it
• U9.4 A* and the heuristic

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