Data Structures Questions Medium
A minimum spanning tree (MST) and a maximum spanning tree (MaxST) are both concepts in graph theory and are used to find the most efficient or optimal connections between nodes in a graph.
A minimum spanning tree is a tree that connects all the nodes in a graph with the minimum possible total edge weight. It is used to find the minimum cost or distance required to connect all the nodes in a graph. In other words, it is the tree that spans all the nodes with the minimum total weight.
On the other hand, a maximum spanning tree is a tree that connects all the nodes in a graph with the maximum possible total edge weight. It is used to find the maximum cost or distance required to connect all the nodes in a graph. In other words, it is the tree that spans all the nodes with the maximum total weight.
To summarize, the main difference between a minimum spanning tree and a maximum spanning tree lies in the objective they aim to achieve. While a minimum spanning tree focuses on finding the most efficient and cost-effective way to connect all the nodes, a maximum spanning tree focuses on finding the most expensive or longest way to connect all the nodes.