Final answer:
Implementing two versions of the successor function for the 8-puzzle and comparing their performance.
Step-by-step explanation:
Implementing two versions of the successor function for the 8-puzzle is a programming task that falls under the domain of computer science and specifically algorithms and data structures. The 8-puzzle is a sliding puzzle where the goal is to rearrange 8 numbered tiles in a 3x3 board to reach a desired configuration.
The first version of the successor function would involve making a copy of the puzzle data structure and modifying it to generate all the possible successor states. This can be done by swapping adjacent tiles or moving them in the empty space.
The second version of the successor function would modify the parent state directly by making a move and then undoing the move once a successor state has been generated. This process continues until all possible successors have been explored.
Iterative deepening depth-first search is an algorithm that systematically explores the search space by gradually increasing the depth limit until a solution is found. By using the two versions of the successor function, we can compare their performance in terms of time and space complexity to determine which approach is more efficient.