What does a heuristic function h(n) generally represent in an AI search problem?

Options

  • A. An estimated cost from node n to a goal state
  • B. The exact cost already spent from the initial state to node n
  • C. The total number of nodes in the search tree
  • D. More than one of the above
  • E. None of the above

Correct Answer (Detailed Explanation is Below)

A. An estimated cost from node n to a goal state

Detailed Explanation

A heuristic function h(n) estimates the cost of reaching a goal from node n. A good heuristic can guide the search toward promising states and reduce unnecessary exploration.