Activity selection problem

<p>The activity selection problem  is a <a href="/facts/Combinatorial_optimization/PTcloS79">combinatorial optimization</a> problem concerning the selection of non-conflicting <a href="/facts/Task_(project_management)/2ufY8v5B">activities</a> to perform within a given <a href="/facts/Time_frame/6ApueJCc">time frame</a>, given a set of activities each marked by a start time (si) and finish time (fi). The problem is to select the maximum number of activities that can be performed by a single person or <a href="/facts/Machine/wTCxFRfs">machine</a>, assuming that a person can only work on a single activity at a time. The activity selection problem is also known as the <a href="/facts/Interval_scheduling/7qf7sz6A">Interval scheduling maximization problem (ISMP)</a>, which is a special type of the more general <a href="/facts/Interval_scheduling/7qf7sz6A">Interval Scheduling</a> problem.
</p><p>A classic application of this problem is in scheduling a room for multiple <a href="/facts/Competing/FpQaEhHv">competing</a> events, each having its own time requirements (start and end time), and many more arise within the framework of <a href="/facts/Operations_research/H5yJkV5n">operations research</a>.
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Activity selection problem open-in-new

Activity selection problem