Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.

BACKTRACKING

Specialty Definition: BACKTRACKING

DomainDefinition

Computing

Backtracking A scheme for solving a series of sub-problems each of which may have multiple possible solutions and where the solution chosen for one sub-problem may affect the possible solutions of later sub-problems. To solve the overall problem, we find a solution to the first sub-problem and then attempt to recursively solve the other sub-problems based on this first solution. If we cannot, or we want all possible solutions, we backtrack and try the next possible solution to the first sub-problem and so on. Backtracking terminates when there are no more solutions to the first sub-problem. This is the algorithm used by logic programming languages such as Prolog to find all possible ways of proving a goal. An optimisation known as "intelligent backtracking" keeps track of the dependencies between sub-problems and only re-solves those which depend on an earlier solution which has changed. Backtracking is one algorithm which can be used to implement nondeterminism. It is effectively a depth-first search of a problem space. (1995-04-13). Source: The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing.

Math

An algorithmic technique to find solutions by trying one of several choices. If the choice proves incorrect, computation backtracks or restarts at the point of choice and tries another choice. It is often convenient to maintain choice points and alternate choices using recursion. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Specialty Definition: Backtracking

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

Backtracking is a strategy for finding solutions to problems used in programming languages like Prolog and other areas such as text parsing. Essentially, the idea is to try each possibility until you get the right one. It is a search of the set of solutions.

During the search, if you try an alternative that doesn't work, you backtrack to the choice point, the place which presented you with different alternatives, and you try the next alternative. When you have exhausted the alternatives, you return to the previous choice point and try the next alternative there. If there are no more choice points, the search fails.

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Backtracking."

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Crosswords: BACKTRACKING

Specialty definitions using "BACKTRACKING": BV-treeCharme, chronological backtrackingDelta-Prolog, depth-first search, Distributed Logic Programmingintelligent backtrackingLLMagma2, microPLANNERnondeterminismParlog, PROgrammed Graph REwriting Systems, Purdue Compiler-Construction Tool SetRatatoskStanford Artificial Intelligence LanguageTrafoLa. (references)

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Commercial Usage: BACKTRACKING

DomainTitle

Books

  

Periodicals

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Non-Fiction Usage: BACKTRACKING

SubjectTopicQuote

Economic History

Burma

In the past six years, significant backtracking on earlier progress is evident. (references)

Sri Lanka

The privatization agreement granted SLT monopoly control over all the main international switches until 2002. This represents a backtracking by the Government on an earlier WTO commitment to eliminate the monopoly by 2000 and affects the competitiveness of other operators in the sector. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

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Usage Frequency: BACKTRACKING

"BACKTRACKING" is generally used as a lexical verb (-ing form) -- approximately 66.67% of the time. "BACKTRACKING" is used about 18 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted)
Parts of SpeechPercentUsage per
100 Million Words
Rank in English
Lexical Verb (-ing form)66.67%12101,599
Noun (singular)16.67%3202,518
Adjective (general or positive)16.67%3202,518
                    Total100.00%18N/A

Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.

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Expressions: BACKTRACKING

Expressions using "BACKTRACKING": chronological backtracking intelligent backtracking relevant backtracking selective backtracking. Additional references.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Modern Translation: BACKTRACKING

Language Translations for "BACKTRACKING"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses.

Chinese 

  

回溯 (backtrack). (various references)

   

Danish

  

baglænsning (depth-first backward reasoning), backtracking (depth-first backward reasoning). (various references)

   

Dutch

  

backtracking (depth-first backward reasoning), zoeken in de diepte met achterwaarts redeneren (depth-first backward reasoning). (various references)

   

Finnish

  

peräytyminen (backing, depth-first backward reasoning). (various references)

   

French

  

stratégie de contrôle rebours (depth-first backward reasoning), retour en arrière (flash back), retour arrière (backspace, back-space, depth-first backward reasoning), prise en compte d'erreur (depth-first backward reasoning). (various references)

   

German

  

zurückziehend (retiring, retiringly, retracting, retreating, withdrawing). (various references)

   

Greek 

  

επανιχνηλάτηση (depth-first backward reasoning). (various references)

   

Italian

  

backtracking (depth-first backward reasoning), ritorno all'indietro (depth-first backward reasoning). (various references)

   

Korean 

  

되" . (various references)

   

Pig Latin

  

acktrackingbay.(various references)

   

Portuguese

  

retrocesso (backing, backset, backward travel, dereliction, recess, recession, regress, regression, throwback). (various references)

   

Russian 

  

возвращаться в исходное состояние/. (various references)

   

Spanish

  

backtracking (depth-first backward reasoning), régimen de control retroactivo (depth-first backward reasoning), exploración hacia atrás, estrategia retroactiva (depth-first backward reasoning), desandando. (various references)

   

Swedish

  

backtracking (depth-first backward reasoning). (various references)

Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references.

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Misspellings: BACKTRACKING

Misspellings

"BACKTRACKING" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: bacitracin. (additional references)

Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references).

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Rhyming with "BACKTRACKING"

# of Phoneme MatchesPronunciationWord(s) rhyming with "BACKTRACKING" (pronounced ba"ktra'king)
5-r a' k i ngwisecracking.
4-a' k i ngcarjacking, hijacking, kayaking, meatpacking, piggybacking, quarterbacking, ransacking.
3-k i ngantismoking, aching, asking, attacking, backing, baking, balking, banking, barking, basking, biking, bilking, blanking, blinking, blocking, bloodsucking, booking, bookmaking, braking, breaking, breathtaking, broking, Brooking, bucking, caulking, chalking, checking, choking, chucking, clanking, clicking, cloaking, clucking, cocking, coking, cooking, corking, cornhusking, cracking, cranking, creaking, critiquing, croaking, debunking, decking, disliking, docking, dressmaking, drinking, ducking, duking, earmarking, earthshaking, eking, embarking, evoking, faking, filmmaking, flaking, flanking, flicking, flocking, flunking, forking, forsaking, franking, freaking, frolicking, gawking, glassmaking, groundbreaking, hacking, handshaking, hardworking, harking, Hawking, heartbreaking, hiking, hitchhiking, Hocking, homemaking, honking, hooking, hulking, interlocking, invoking, jacking, jaywalking, jerking, joking, junking, kicking, knocking, lacking, lawbreaking, lawmaking, leaking, licking, liking, linking, locking, looking, lovemaking, Lucking, lurking, making, marking, masking, matchmaking, metalworking, milking, mimicking, mistaking, mocking, moneymaking, moviemaking, mucking, muckraking, multitasking, networking, nitpicking, nonbanking, nonsmoking, overbooking, overlooking, overtaking, packing, painstaking, panicking, papermaking, parking, peacemaking, peaking, pecking, peeking, perking, picking, planking, plinking, plucking, plunking, poking, politicking, provoking, quaking, racking, raking, ranking, rebuking, reeking, reinking, remaking, remarking, restocking, retaking, rethinking, revoking, reworking, risking, rocking, rollicking, sacking, seeking, shaking, sharking, shirking, shocking, shrieking, shrinking, shucking, sinking, sleepwalking, smacking, smirking, smoking, snaking, sneaking, soaking, socking, spacewalking, spanking, sparking, speaking, spiking, squawking, squeaking, stacking, staking, stalking, steelmaking, sticking, stinking, stockbroking, stocking, stoking, streaking, striking, stroking, sucking, sulking, tacking, taking, talking, tanking, tasking, thanking, ticking, tracking, trafficking, trekking, tricking, trucking, tucking, tweaking, undertaking, undocking, unlocking, unpacking, unthinking, viking, waking, walking, whacking, winking, woodworking, working, wracking, wreaking, wrecking, yanking.

Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits.

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Anagrams: BACKTRACKING

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams

Words within the letters "a-a-b-c-c-g-i-k-k-n-r-t"

-3 letters: anticrack, backtrack.

-4 letters: cracking, tracking.

-5 letters: abating, agnatic, anticar, arcking, backing, bargain, barking, bracing, braking, carabin, carking, carting, crating, granita, karting, katcina, racking, tacking, tanbark, tracing.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro.

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INDEX

1. Crosswords
2. Usage: Commercial
3. Quotations: Non-fiction
4. Usage Frequency
5. Expressions
6. Translations: Modern
7. Derivations
8. Rhymes
9. Anagrams
10. Bibliography


  

Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.