Final answer:
d) heuristic approach is the correct way to solve the problem of finding the fastest route from Caribou, Maine, to Deadhorse, Alaska,
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is option d) Heuristic approach. The problem-solving method involves choosing routes that stay primarily on interstate highways and that appear to be fairly direct. This is a practical way of making travel decisions, especially when there are thousands of possible routes and exhaustive calculations are not feasible.
It is akin to using the working backwards heuristic, where you begin with the desired end result, and plan the steps required to reach that result. An example of this would be planning to arrive at a destination by a certain time, taking into account known traffic conditions to determine the time of departure.
In the case of finding the fastest way from Caribou, Maine, to Deadhorse, Alaska, the most efficient method would likely be to select the most direct routes on major highways, use available traffic data, and possibly include some common sense adjustments based on geography such as avoiding mountain passes known for delays.
This practical approach aligns with heuristics rather than a strict mathematical shortest path algorithm, which may not take into account real-world travel conditions.
using interstate highways and direct paths, similar to how you would plan the time of departure to arrive at a destination on time.