PlanetMath (more info)
 Math for the people, by the people.
Encyclopedia | Requests | Forums | Docs | Wiki | Random | RSS  
Login
create new user
name:
pass:
forget your password?
Main Menu
Owner confidence rating: Medium Entry average rating: No information on entry rating
weighted path length (Definition)

Given an extended binary tree $ T$ (that is, simply any complete binary tree, where leafs are denoted as external nodes), associate weights with each external node. The weighted path length of $ T$ is the sum of the product of the weight and path length of each external node, over all external nodes.

Another formulation is that weighted path length is $ \sum w_jl_j$ over all external nodes $ j$, where $ w_j$ is the weight of an external node $ j$, and $ l_j$ is the distance from the root of the tree to $ j$. If $ w_j = 1$ for all $ j$, then weighted path length is exactly the same as external path length.

Example

Let $ T$ be the following extended binary tree. Square nodes are external nodes, and circular nodes are internal nodes. Values in external nodes indicate weights, which are given in this problem, while values in internal nodes represent the weighted path length of subtrees rooted at those nodes, and are calculated from the given weights and the given tree. The weight of the tree as a whole is given at the root of the tree.

\includegraphics{tree.10}

This tree happens to give the minimum weighted path length for this particular set of weights.



"weighted path length" is owned by Logan.
(view preamble | get metadata)

View style:

See Also: external path length, extended binary tree, complete binary tree, minimum weighted path length

Log in to rate this entry.
(view current ratings)

Cross-references: minimum weighted path length, represent, internal nodes, circular, nodes, square, external path length, tree, root, distance, path length, product, sum, weights, associate, external nodes, leafs, complete binary tree, extended binary tree
There are 4 references to this entry.

This is version 1 of weighted path length, born on 2002-03-08.
Object id is 2778, canonical name is WeightedPathLength.
Accessed 4890 times total.

Classification:
AMS MSC05C05 (Combinatorics :: Graph theory :: Trees)

Pending Errata and Addenda
None.
Discussion
Style: Expand: Order:
forum policy

No messages.

Interact
post | correct | update request | add derivation | add example | add (any)