learning-dynamic-programming

Dynamic programming (DP) is a fascinating topic in computer science, but to master it, you need a solid foundation in certain data structures and algorithms. Here are some prerequisites to make your DP learning journey smoother:

Key Prerequisites:

1. Arrays and Lists: Since DP often involves storing intermediate results in arrays or lists, understanding their operations is essential.
2. Strings: Many DP problems involve strings, such as finding the longest common subsequence or string editing distance.
3. Recursion: DP builds upon the concept of recursion, so you need to understand how recursive functions work.
4. Backtracking: Familiarity with backtracking helps in understanding the process of exploring all possibilities and optimizing for the best solution, which is the basis of DP.
5. Memoization: Knowing how to cache intermediate results to avoid redundant calculations is critical.
6. Trees and Graphs: Many DP problems involve traversing trees or graphs, so a basic understanding of these structures is valuable.
7. Basic Mathematics: Some DP problems involve concepts like combinatorics or basic mathematical operations.