I have programmed several heuristic algorithms in my Phd thesis.
The last algorithm gave me very good results as an objective function and even in runtime compared to other algorithms done before. Is there a formula to calculate the gain and how to interpret it? thanks in advaced
As far as I know, there is no specific formula, but you may tabulate the performance indicators. This will illustrate the value of each algorithm.
Hi, the first criterion is the capacity of the algorithm to find the best solution (global minimum of a function for example). The second comparison between two algorithms consits in comparing the solutions found for a limited value of the CPU time.
@Nobar Kassabian the comparison between heuristic algorithms must be planed. I hope it is safe to presume that your heuristics are randomized, i.e. the result changes the moment the random number generator's seed is changed. In that case, it is not as simple as one might think. If you set maximal number of iterations for two very different heuristic algorithms to be the same, they may produce different solutions, whereas the better solution needed the longest time. What is the gain here, how to measure efficiency and effictivness of each of the randomized algorihtms? Many researchers claim that you must be fair. I interpret this in a way where the heuristic algorithms get the same amount of runtime. If you are required to utlize the maximal number of iterations (or number of evaluations, whatever) then try to measure how much iterations each algorithm needs to fullfil the runtime criterion. From that moment on, it is easy to establih the gain. It will be the difference between your solution's quality and the quality of the optimal solution (or best known in the literature).
@ Mohamed Azab : first of all thank you, i mean by the "gain" what is the added value and the benefit, how to decide that the algorithm x is better than algorithm y, on what i can rely to know?
Mohamed EL-Shimy : thank you do much. A "Gap" formula is used to know the Gap between two algorithms, can i use for example the cross over formula to know the benefit comparing algo x with ago y ?
@ Richard Epenoy , @ Juan Manuel Izar : i agree with you but i need some more details depending on your exeperience, thank you very much for both of you.
@ Tatjana Jakšić Krüger : thanks so much i totally agree with you.