I’m hoping for answers that either draw parallels from existing sort methods (that I may not think to test on my own), or actually show that a given algorithm is the best possible method of sorting boxes. $\endgroup$

Apr 14, 2025 · A Sorting Algorithm is used to rearrange a given array or list of elements in an order. For example, a given array [10, 20, 5, 2] becomes [2, 5, 10, 20] after sorting in increasing order and becomes [20, 10, 5, 2] after sorting in decreasing order.

In computer science, a sorting algorithm is an algorithm that puts elements of a list into an order. The most frequently used orders are numerical order and lexicographical order, and either ascending or descending.

One of the most intuitive ways to sort a group of boxes into order, from lightest to heaviest, is to start by first finding the lightest (or the heaviest) box and placing that to the side. Try this with the scales interactive.

sort the boxes by ascending width in array W, and by ascending length in array L. create a nxn matrix, where t[i,j] = tallest possible stack built on a L(i) long and W(j) wide base. the answer will be in t[n,n] since that is our max possible base area.

To calculate this heuristic efficiently, initially sorting the boxes by their weight can be desirable. The rest is a simple application of the A* algorithm. From all states in the available set, choose the one with the highest expected pile (= height + heuristic).

A sorting algorithm is used to arrange elements of an array/list in a specific order. In this article, you will learn what sorting algorithm is and different sorting algorithms.

Dec 4, 2019 · Sorting algorithms are a set of instructions that take an array or list as an input and arrange the items into a particular order. Sorts are most commonly in numerical or a form of alphabetical (or lexicographical) order, and can be in ascending (A …

Mar 26, 2017 · You could build four lists each orders the boxes such that each has the boxes in outer to inner order from top to bottom, bottom to top, from left to right, from right to left. Then you could pick what box to remove with:

It is possible to sort obliviously with $O(\sqrt{n}\log n)$ calls to the black box, each applied to a contiguous subarray of the original input. The algorithm never touches the input data except through black-box calls.