Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                
Scribd
Upload
271 views

Bin Packing Algorithms

The document discusses the bin packing problem and several algorithms to solve it. The bin packing problem involves fitting boxes of varying heights into bins of a fixed height. Heuristic algorithms like first-fit and first-fit decreasing are described that provide good but not necessarily optimal solutions. Exhaustive algorithms like full bin combinations can find the optimal solution by checking all possibilities but are not practical for large problems. The document also discusses how bin packing relates to other packing problems like loading vehicles onto a ferry or storing computer programs on discs.

Uploaded by

Khairi Azmi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
271 views

Bin Packing Algorithms

The document discusses the bin packing problem and several algorithms to solve it. The bin packing problem involves fitting boxes of varying heights into bins of a fixed height. Heuristic algorithms like first-fit and first-fit decreasing are described that provide good but not necessarily optimal solutions. Exhaustive algorithms like full bin combinations can find the optimal solution by checking all possibilities but are not practical for large problems. The document also discusses how bin packing relates to other packing problems like loading vehicles onto a ferry or storing computer programs on discs.

Uploaded by

Khairi Azmi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

http://www.furthermaths.org.

uk

Wiltshire

 Many real life problems require complete (or exhaustive)

Decision Maths

enumeration, i.e. looking at all possibilities, to find the


best/optimal solution
 for large problems, this exhaustive algorithm is almost
impossible to implement.
 For practicality, we use heuristic algorithms
 strategies or just rules of thumb
 will usually find good solution, but not guaranteed the
best/optimal
 For Bin-packing problem
 Heuristic algorithm First-fit, First-fit decreasing
 Exhaustive algorithm Full bins

Bin-packing Algorithms

The Bin-packing problem

Heuristic Algorithms

Wiltshire

 The Bin-packing problem deals with packing boxes of

the same width and depth but different heights into


bins.

The Bin-packing problem

Wiltshire

 Its best to look at an example to understand

how the Bin-packing problem works.


 Here are 10 boxes, A to J with heights

(in dm) as follows.


B
A

Box

Height

 Clearly you can see that the depth and width of the

 How would you pack the boxes into bins that

The Bin-packing problem

The Bin-packing problem

are 15dm high.

bins remains the same so we can represent the


problem in 2-dimensions.

Wiltshire

 First-fit algorithm

Wiltshire

 First-fit decreasing algorithm.

Box

Box

D
A

F
B

H
C

B
D

FI

C
G

J
H

AI

G
J

Height

Height

3
9

9
7

8
4

7
9

6
9

4
3

4
8

3
6

3
4

15

C(4)

G(3) H(8)

I(6)





B(7)
D(9)
A(3)

E(7)

F(9)
J(4)

Bin 1 Bin 2 Bin 3 Bin 4 Bin 5







The idea is that you place the first box in the


first available space, working from the left every
time.
Here box A goes in to bin 1.
Now box B and C will also fit in to bin 1.
Box D does not fit in bin 1 so it goes in the next
space which is bin 2.
Box E will not go in bin 1 or 2 so it is placed in
bin 3.
Similar with F, it skips over Bins 1, 2 and 3 to go
in bin 4.
G cannot go in bin 1 but it does slot into bin 2.
H will skip 1 and 2 and fill up bin 3.
I skips 1, 2 and 3 to fill up 4.
J must be placed in a new bin.

15

I(6)

C(4) B(7)

A(3)


J(4)


D(9) F(9) H(8)


E(7)
G(3)




Bin 1 Bin 2 Bin 3 Bin 4 Bin 5




This is exactly the same method as


the first-fit algorithm with one
exception.
The difference this time is that the
boxes are placed in descending order
of size before the algorithm is applied.
You should use one of the sorting
algorithms from last lesson to do this.
Now we can apply the algorithm
This algorithm is not guaranteed to
give you the best (or optimal)
solution.
However it is more likely to do so than
just the First-fit algorithm.

The Bin-packing problem

Wiltshire

 Full bin combinations.

Height

 This is not an algorithmic process but

15

I(6)
A(3)

Wiltshire

 This bin-packing problem can now be

Box

G(3)

The Ferry Loading problem

more common sense.

J(4)

 You literally make sure that each bin is

B(7)

used to its full potential.

C(4)

 If you start by placing box D in bin 1 (No

particular reason).
D(9) F(9) H(8)
E(7)

 Now box I can also go in bin 1 and it will

fill all the space because 9 + 6 = 15.


 What other combinations will create full

bins?

Bin 1 Bin 2 Bin 3 Bin 4 Bin 5

 This is actually the optimal solution for

applied to lots of practical real life


situations.
 You can change what the boxes and
bins represent.
 We are going to look at how to load
vehicles on to a ferry.
 Here the lanes on the ferry will be the
bins and the vehicles will be the boxes.

this particular problem.

The Ferry Loading problem

Wiltshire

 A small car-ferry has three lanes, each 20m long.


 The following vehicles are waiting to be loaded.
Oil tanker
Truck
Coach
Car

13m
7m
12m
4m

 Insertion sort algorithm

Van
Truck
Car
Lorry

3m
6m
4m
11m

on to the trip.
 Can all the vehicles be taken on the trip?

Box

A
13

B
3

C
7

D
6

E
12

F
4

G
4

H
11

Box
Height
13
3
7
6
12
4
4
11

Box
Height

The Ferry Loading problem

Wiltshire

 Solution

A
13
13

B
3
13
3

A
13

C
7
13
7
3

E
12

D
6

13
7
6
3

H
11

13
12
7
6
3

C
7

E
12

F
4

13
12
7
6
4
3

13
12
7
6
4
4
3

D
6

F
4

G
4

H
11

G
4

B
3

13
12
11
7
6
4
4
3

The Disc storage problem

Wiltshire

 A software company has a new program that they

Box

Height

13

12

11

 First-fit decreasing

 Full Bin combinations


B(3) G(4)

G(4)

C(7)

Wiltshire

 First we need to sort the numbers.

 Use the first-fit decreasing algorithm to load all these vehicles

Height

The Ferry Loading problem

C(7)

D(6)

D(6) F(4)

F(4)

want to sell on CD`s.


 Broken down the program looks like this.
Program
Size (mb)

C D

G H

600 200 450 250 300 250 150 200 100 150

50

100

 Each of the CD`s they will use can hold 700mb.


 How many CD`s will the company need if they plan on

A(13) E(12)

A(13)

H(11)

H(11) E(12)

producing 50 000 copies of the program.


Program

B(3)
Lane 1 Lane 2 lane 3

Size (mb)

H G

600 450 300 250 250 200 200 150 150 100 100

K
50

Lane 1 Lane 2 lane 3

The Disc storage problem

The Plumbing Problem

Wiltshire

 A plumber is using lengths of pipes 12 feet long and

 Solution

wishes to cut these lengths.


A

Program
Size (mb)

H G

600 450 300 250 250 200 200 150 150 100 100

G
D
I
(250)
J
F
(250) H
A
(600) C
(200)
(450) E
B
(300)
(200)

The Plumbing Problem


Number

50

combinations or by the first-fit


decreasing algorithm.
 Here the solution is done using the
first fit decreasing algorithm.
 The program will fit exactly on to 4
CD`s.
 The company will need
4 x 50 000 = 200 000 CD`s.

Disc 1 Disc 2 Disc 3 Disc 4

Length
(ft)

 This can be solved using full bin

Length
(ft)

Number

 What is the best way of achieving this so that he

wastes as little pipe as possible.

Wiltshire

 First change the table to assign each length of

pipe a name.
 Now you can apply the first-fit decreasing

algorithm.
 You can now easily see the full bin combinations.

Pipe
Length
K(2) J(3)

D(4) E(4)

Wiltshire

F(4) I(3)

A(7) B(7) C(6)

H(3)

A B C D E F G H
7 7

6 4 4

4 3

3 3

J K L
3

2 2

K(2) L(2) J(3)


F(4)
I(3) H(3)
G(3)
E(4)
A(7) B(7) C(6)

G(3) L(2)

D(4)

Pole 1 Pole 2 pole 3 Pole 4 Pole 5

Pole 1 Pole 2 pole 3 Pole 4

You might also like