Defining length: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|Concept in genetic algorithm theory}}
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In [[genetic algorithms]] and [[genetic programming]] '''defining length''' L(H) is the maximum distance between two defining symbols (that is symbols that have a fixed value as opposed to symbols that can take any value, commonly denoted as # or *) in [[schema (genetic algorithms)|schema]] H. In tree GP schemata, L(H) is the number of links in the minimum tree fragment including all the non-= symbols within a schema H.<ref name="UCL1">{{cite web|title=Foundations of Genetic Programming|url=http://www.cs.ucl.ac.uk/staff/W.Langdon/FOGP/|publisher=UCL UK|accessdate=13 July 2010}}</ref>


== Example ==
In the field of [[genetic algorithms]], a '''[[Schema (genetic algorithms)|schema]]''' (plural: '''schemata''') is a template that represents a subset of potential solutions. These templates use fixed symbols (e.g., `0` or `1`) for specific positions and a wildcard or "don't care" symbol (often `#` or `*`) for others.


Schemata "00##0", "1###1", "01###", and "##0##" have defining lengths of 4, 4, 1, and 0, respectively. Lengths are computed by determining the last fixed position and subtracting from it the first fixed position.
The '''defining length''' of a schema, denoted as L(H), measures the distance between the outermost fixed positions in the template. According to the [[Schema theorem]], a schema with a shorter defining length is less likely to be disrupted by the genetic operator of [[Crossover (genetic algorithm)|crossover]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Baeck |first=Thomas |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PgJ-DwAAQBAJ |title=Evolutionary Computation 1: Basic Algorithms and Operators |date=2018-10-03 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-1-351-98942-8 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Poli |first=Riccardo |last2=Langdon |first2=William B. |date=1998-09-01 |title=Schema Theory for Genetic Programming with One-Point Crossover and Point Mutation |url=https://doi.org/10.1162/evco.1998.6.3.231 |journal=Evolutionary Computation |volume=6 |issue=3 |pages=231–252 |doi=10.1162/evco.1998.6.3.231 |issn=1063-6560|url-access=subscription }}</ref> As a result, short schemata are considered more robust and are more likely to be propagated to the next generation.<ref name="UCL12">{{cite web |title=Foundations of Genetic Programming |url=http://www.cs.ucl.ac.uk/staff/W.Langdon/FOGP/ |accessdate=13 July 2010 |publisher=UCL UK}}</ref>


In [[genetic algorithms]] as the defining length of a solution increases so does the susceptibility of the solution to disruption due to [[mutation]] or [[Crossover (genetic algorithm)|cross-over]].
In [[genetic programming]], where solutions are often represented as trees, the defining length is the number of links in the minimum tree fragment that includes all the non-wildcard symbols within a schema H.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Langdon |first=William B. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zsaqCAAAQBAJ |title=Foundations of Genetic Programming |last2=Poli |first2=Riccardo |date=2013-03-09 |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |isbn=978-3-662-04726-2 |language=en}}</ref>
 
== Example ==
The defining length is calculated by subtracting the position of the first fixed symbol from the position of the last one. Using 1-based indexing for a string of length 5:
* The schema `1##0#` has its first fixed symbol (`1`) at position 1 and its last fixed symbol (`0`) at position 4. Its defining length is 4 − 1 = 3.
* The schema `00##0` has its first fixed symbol at position 1 and its last at position 5. Its defining length is 5 − 1 = 4.
* The schema `##0##` has only one fixed symbol at position 3. The first and last fixed positions are the same, so its defining length is 3 − 3 = 0.


== References ==
== References ==
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Latest revision as of 02:31, 4 August 2025

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In the field of genetic algorithms, a schema (plural: schemata) is a template that represents a subset of potential solutions. These templates use fixed symbols (e.g., `0` or `1`) for specific positions and a wildcard or "don't care" symbol (often `#` or `*`) for others.

The defining length of a schema, denoted as L(H), measures the distance between the outermost fixed positions in the template. According to the Schema theorem, a schema with a shorter defining length is less likely to be disrupted by the genetic operator of crossover.[1][2] As a result, short schemata are considered more robust and are more likely to be propagated to the next generation.[3]

In genetic programming, where solutions are often represented as trees, the defining length is the number of links in the minimum tree fragment that includes all the non-wildcard symbols within a schema H.[4]

Example

The defining length is calculated by subtracting the position of the first fixed symbol from the position of the last one. Using 1-based indexing for a string of length 5:

  • The schema `1##0#` has its first fixed symbol (`1`) at position 1 and its last fixed symbol (`0`) at position 4. Its defining length is 4 − 1 = 3.
  • The schema `00##0` has its first fixed symbol at position 1 and its last at position 5. Its defining length is 5 − 1 = 4.
  • The schema `##0##` has only one fixed symbol at position 3. The first and last fixed positions are the same, so its defining length is 3 − 3 = 0.

References

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