Dynamic Programming and Knapsack Application

Question

Im studying dynamic programming and am looking to solve the following problem, which can be found here http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~vazirani/algorithms/chap6.pdf:

You

Answer 1

So you start with a X * Y rectangle. Say the optimal solution involves making a vertical (or horizontal) cut, then you have two new rectangles with dimensions X * Y1 and X * Y2 with Y1 + Y2 = Y. Since you want to maximize your profit, you need to maximize the profit on these new rectangles (optimal substructure). So your initial recursion goes as follows: f(X, Y) = max(f(X, Y1) + f(X, Y2), f(X1, Y) + f(X2, Y)) for all posible values of X1, X2 (horizontal cut) and Y1, Y2 (vertical cut).

Now the question is when do I actually decide to make a product ? You can decide to make a product when one of its dimensions equals one of the dimensions of your current rectangle (why ? Because if this doesn't hold, and the optimal solution includes making this product, then sooner or later you will need to make a vertical (or horizontal) cut and this case is already handled in the initial recursion), so you make the appropriate cut and you have a new rectangle X * Y1 (or X1 * Y), depending on the cut you made to obtain the product), in this case the recursion becomes f(X, Y) = cost of product + f(X1, Y).

The solution of the original problem is f(X, Y). The running time of this dp solution would be O(X * Y * (X + Y + number of available products)): you have X * Y possible rectangles, for each of these you try every possible cut (X + Y) and you try to make one of the available products out of this rectangle.

Also, check out this similar problem: Sharing Chocolate from the 2010 ICPC World Finals.