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Analysis of
Algorithms

Dijkstra's
Algorithm

DR. MOHAMMED AL-HUBAISHI

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Single-Source Shortest Path Problem

Single-Source Shortest Path Problem - The problem of

finding shortest paths from a source vertex v to all other
vertices in the graph.
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Dijkstra's algorithm
Dijkstra's algorithm - is a solution to the single-source shortest path
problem in graph theory.

Works on both directed and undirected graphs. However, all edges must
have nonnegative weights.

Approach: Greedy

Input: Weighted graph G={E,V} and source vertex v∈V, such that all edge
weights are nonnegative

Output: Lengths of shortest paths (or the shortest paths themselves) from
a given source vertex v∈V to all other vertices
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Dijkstra's algorithm (/ˈdaɪkstrəz/

DYKE-strəz) 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
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undirected unweighted graph
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undirected weighted graph

► weighted graph 5
5
2
4
3 -2
1 7
2 3
0 1
7
5 -2

6
4 -4
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directed weighted graph

► weighted graph 5
5
2
4
3 -2
1 7
2 3
0 1
7
5 -2

6
4 -4
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Dijkstra's algorithm - Pseudocode

dist[s] ←0 (distance to source vertex is zero)

for all v ∈ V–{s}
do dist[v] ←∞ (set all other distances to infinity)
S←∅ (S, the set of visited vertices is initially empty)
Q←V (Q, the queue initially contains all vertices)
while Q ≠∅ (while the queue is not empty)
do u ← mindistance(Q,dist) (select the element of Q with the min. distance)
S←S∪{u} (add u to list of visited vertices)
for all v ∈ neighbors[u]
do if dist[v] > dist[u] + w(u, v) (if new shortest path found)
then d[v] ←d[u] + w(u, v) (set new value of shortest path)

(if desired, add traceback code)

return dist
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/dijkstras-shortest-path-algorithm-greedy-algo-7/
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C++ code for Dijkstra’s
Algorithm

Dijkstra's Algorithm in C++ | Shortest Path Algorithm | FavTutor

https://favtutor.com/blogs/dijkstras-algorithm-cpp#:~:text=Algori
thm%20for%20Dijkstra's%20in%20C%2B%2B&text=Consider%20sour
ce%20vertex%20as%20current,replace%20it%20otherwise%20ign
ore%20it
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pseudocode for Dijkstra's Algorithm

● graph represents the input graph.

● source is the source vertex from which
the shortest paths are calculated.
● distances is an array to store the
shortest distances from the source
vertex to all other vertices.
● visited is a set to keep track of visited
vertices.
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Dijkstra's algorithm
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Dijkstra's algorithm example on
an undirected graph cont’d

Shortest path: 0 3 4 2
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path from 0 to 4

https://youtu.be/T8KcNk6cAHo
6
7
4 8
7 3

5
9 4

8
2
6

Shortest path: 0 1 4
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path from 0 to 5

https://youtu.be/T8KcNk6cAHo
6
7
4 8
7 3

5
9 4

8
2
6

Shortest path: 0 1 4 5
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path from 0 to 5

6
7
4 18
7 3

5
9 4

8
2
6

Shortest path: 0 1 2 3 4 5

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path from 0 to 5

6
7
4 -18
7 3

5
9 4

8
2
6

Shortest path: 0 1 4 5

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Dijkstra's algorithm example on
an undirected graph
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Dijkstra's algorithm example on
an undirected graph cont’d
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Dijkstra's algorithm example on
an undirected graph cont’d
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Dijkstra's algorithm example on
an undirected graph cont’d
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Dijkstra's algorithm example on
an undirected graph cont’d

Update
If (d[u]+c(u,v)<d[v])
d[v]= d[u]+c(u,v)
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Dijkstra's algorithm example on
an undirected graph cont’d
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Dijkstra's algorithm example on
an undirected graph cont’d
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Dijkstra's algorithm example on
an undirected graph cont’d

Update
If (d[u]
+c(u,v)<d[v])
d[v]= d[u]+c(u,v)
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Dijkstra's algorithm example on
an undirected graph cont’d
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Dijkstra's algorithm example on
an undirected graph cont’d
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Dijkstra's algorithm example on
an undirected graph cont’d

Update
If (d[u]+c(u,v)<d[v])
d[v]= d[u]+c(u,v)
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Dijkstra's algorithm example on
an undirected graph cont’d
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Dijkstra's algorithm example on
an undirected graph cont’d
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path from Previous vertex
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Dijkstra's algorithm example on
a directed graph
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4 Update
2
1 If (d[u]+c(u,v)<d[v])
2 d[v]= d[u]+c(u,v)

1 2 6
0 1

4 5

3 5
3
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Dijkstra's algorithm example on
a directed graph

Update
8 If (d[u]+c(u,v)<d[v])
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2 ∞ d[v]= d[u]+c(u,v)

2 7 4 9
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1
2 ∞
1 2 6 V D[V]
0 1
2 2
4 5 3 3
3 5 4 8
3 6
3
∞ 5 6
4
6 9
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Homework: Dijkstra's algorithm
on a directed graph

Started from node 1

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1 3
50 2 10

15 35
10 20 30

5 6
4
15 3
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Dijkstra's algorithm
Selected 2 3 4 5 6
node

4 50 45 10 Max Max

5 50 45 10 25 Max
Start from 1 2 45 45 10 25 Max

3 45 45 10 25 Max

6 45 45 10 25 Max

45
1 3
50 2 10

15 35
10 20 30

5 6
4
15 3
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Homework: Dijkstra's algorithm
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Homework: Dijkstra's algorithm
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Homework: Dijkstra's algorithm

Shortest path: 0 7 6 5 4
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Homework: Dijkstra's algorithm
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Implementations and Running Times
The simplest implementation is to store vertices in an array
or linked list. This will produce a running time of

O(|V|^2 + |E|)

For sparse graphs, or graphs with very few edges and many
nodes, it can be implemented more efficiently storing the
graph in an adjacency list using a binary heap or priority
queue. This will produce a running time of

O((|E|+|V|) log |V|)

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Dijkstra's Algorithm - Why use it?

► As mentioned, Dijkstra’s algorithm calculates the shortest path to

every vertex.
► However, it is about as computationally expensive to calculate
the shortest path from vertex u to every vertex using Dijkstra’s as
it is to calculate the shortest path to some particular vertex v.
► Therefore, anytime we want to know the optimal path to some
other vertex from a determined origin, we can use Dijkstra’s
algorithm.
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Applications of Dijkstra's Algorithm

- Traffic Information Systems are most prominent use

- Mapping (Map Quest, Google Maps)
- Routing Systems
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Applications of Dijkstra's Algorithm

🞆 Oneparticularly relevant this week:

epidemiology

🞆 Prof.Lauren Meyers (Biology Dept.) uses

networks to model the spread of infectious
diseases and design prevention and response
strategies.

🞆 Vertices represent individuals, and edges their

possible contacts. It is useful to calculate how a
particular individual is connected to others.

🞆 Knowing the shortest path lengths to other

individuals can be a relevant indicator of the
potential of a particular individual to infect
others.