Dijkstra Algorithm Questions Long
The distance array in the Dijkstra Algorithm plays a crucial role in determining the shortest path from a source vertex to all other vertices in a weighted graph. It is used to keep track of the minimum distance from the source vertex to each vertex in the graph.
Initially, all distances in the array are set to infinity, except for the distance of the source vertex which is set to 0. As the algorithm progresses, the distance array is updated with the minimum distances found so far.
The algorithm works by iteratively selecting the vertex with the minimum distance from the distance array, which represents the vertex with the shortest path from the source vertex. This selected vertex is then marked as visited.
For each unvisited neighbor of the selected vertex, the algorithm calculates the distance from the source vertex through the selected vertex. If this distance is smaller than the current distance stored in the distance array for that neighbor, the distance array is updated with the new minimum distance.
This process continues until all vertices have been visited or until the destination vertex is reached. At the end of the algorithm, the distance array will contain the shortest distances from the source vertex to all other vertices in the graph.
The distance array is essential for the Dijkstra Algorithm as it allows the algorithm to keep track of the minimum distances found so far and determine the shortest path. It helps in making informed decisions about which vertices to visit next and which paths to consider for finding the shortest path.