What is memoization and how can I use it in Python?

Question

I just started Python and I\'ve got no idea what memoization is and how to use it. Also, may I have a simplified example?

Answer 1

Memoization is basically saving the results of past operations done with recursive algorithms in order to reduce the need to traverse the recursion tree if the same calculation is required at a later stage.

see http://scriptbucket.wordpress.com/2012/12/11/introduction-to-memoization/

Fibonacci Memoization example in Python:

fibcache = {}
def fib(num):
    if num in fibcache:
        return fibcache[num]
    else:
        fibcache[num] = num if num < 2 else fib(num-1) + fib(num-2)
        return fibcache[num]