travelling salesman problem

== English == === Alternative forms === travelling-salesman problem (British, Canada), traveling salesman problem (US), traveling-salesman problem (US) === Noun === travelling salesman problem (mathematics, UK, Canada) The problem in combinatorial optimization in which, given a number of cities and the costs of travelling from one to the other, it is required to determine the cheapest route that visits each city once and then returns to the initial city. ==== Translations ==== === See also === dial-a-ride problem Hamiltonian path MathWorld article on the travelling salesman problem