Lecture

Monte Carlo Chain: Motivation and Algorithm

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In course

MGT-484: Applied probability & stochastic processes

This course focuses on dynamic models of random phenomena, and in particular, the most popular classes of such models: Markov chains and Markov decision processes. We will also study applications in queuing theory, finance, project management, etc. ...

Description

This lecture covers the motivation behind the Manbou Chain and Monte Carlo methods, aiming to find the maximum of a function. The instructor explains the goal, challenges, and the process of building an invariant distribution for the Monte Carlo chain.

Instructor

Negar Kiyavash

Teaching & PhD PhD Students Mohammad Shahverdikondori, Badri Mohammad Reza, Arefe Boushehrian, Sepehr Elahi, Mohammadsadegh Khorasani, Mohammadsaeed Masiha, Amir Mohammad Aboueimehrizi Past EPFL PhD Students Sina Akbari, Ehsan Mokhtarian, Yaroslav Kivva, Fateme Jamshidi Courses Causal inference MGT-416 Students will learn the core concepts and techniques of network analysis with emphasis on causal inference. Theory andapplication will be balanced, with students working directly with networ

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Related concepts (32)

Markov chain Monte Carlo

In statistics, Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods comprise a class of algorithms for sampling from a probability distribution. By constructing a Markov chain that has the desired distribution as its equilibrium distribution, one can obtain a sample of the desired distribution by recording states from the chain. The more steps that are included, the more closely the distribution of the sample matches the actual desired distribution. Various algorithms exist for constructing chains, including the Metropolis–Hastings algorithm.

Mathematical optimization

Mathematical optimization (alternatively spelled optimisation) or mathematical programming is the selection of a best element, with regard to some criterion, from some set of available alternatives. It is generally divided into two subfields: discrete optimization and continuous optimization. Optimization problems arise in all quantitative disciplines from computer science and engineering to operations research and economics, and the development of solution methods has been of interest in mathematics for centuries.

Combinatorial optimization

Combinatorial optimization is a subfield of mathematical optimization that consists of finding an optimal object from a finite set of objects, where the set of feasible solutions is discrete or can be reduced to a discrete set. Typical combinatorial optimization problems are the travelling salesman problem ("TSP"), the minimum spanning tree problem ("MST"), and the knapsack problem. In many such problems, such as the ones previously mentioned, exhaustive search is not tractable, and so specialized algorithms that quickly rule out large parts of the search space or approximation algorithms must be resorted to instead.

Algorithm

In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm (ˈælɡərɪðəm) is a finite sequence of rigorous instructions, typically used to solve a class of specific problems or to perform a computation. Algorithms are used as specifications for performing calculations and data processing. More advanced algorithms can use conditionals to divert the code execution through various routes (referred to as automated decision-making) and deduce valid inferences (referred to as automated reasoning), achieving automation eventually.

Dijkstra's algorithm

Dijkstra's algorithm (ˈdaɪkstrəz ) is an algorithm for finding the shortest paths between nodes in a weighted graph, which may represent, for example, road networks. It was conceived by computer scientist Edsger W. Dijkstra in 1956 and published three years later. The algorithm exists in many variants. Dijkstra's original algorithm found the shortest path between two given nodes, but a more common variant fixes a single node as the "source" node and finds shortest paths from the source to all other nodes in the graph, producing a shortest-path tree.

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