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Performance Models for Evolutionary Program Induction Algorithms Based on Problem Difficulty Indicators

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Genetic Programming (EuroGP 2011)

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Abstract

Most theoretical models of evolutionary algorithms are difficult to apply to realistic situations. In this paper, two models of evolutionary program-induction algorithms (EPAs) are proposed which overcome this limitation. We test our approach with two important classes of problems — symbolic regression and Boolean function induction — and a variety of EPAs including: different versions of genetic programming, gene expression programing, stochastic iterated hill climbing in program space and one version of cartesian genetic programming. We compare the proposed models against a practical model of EPAs we previously developed and find that in most cases the new models are simpler and produce better predictions. A great deal can also be learnt about an EPA via a simple inspection of our new models. E.g., it is possible to infer which characteristics make a problem difficult or easy for the EPA.

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Graff, M., Poli, R. (2011). Performance Models for Evolutionary Program Induction Algorithms Based on Problem Difficulty Indicators. In: Silva, S., Foster, J.A., Nicolau, M., Machado, P., Giacobini, M. (eds) Genetic Programming. EuroGP 2011. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 6621. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20407-4_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20407-4_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-20406-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-20407-4

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