How do you solve the 15-puzzle with A-Star or Dijkstra's Algorithm?

Question

I\'ve read in one of my AI books that popular algorithms (A-Star, Dijkstra) for path-finding in simulation or games is also used to solve the well-known \"15-puzzle\".

C

Answer 1

A good heuristic for A-Star with the 15 puzzle is the number of squares that are in the wrong location. Because you need at least 1 move per square that is out of place, the number of squares out of place is guaranteed to be less than or equal to the number of moves required to solve the puzzle, making it an appropriate heuristic for A-Star.