Virginia TechFleischer, M.Jacobson, Sheldon H.2014-03-052014-03-051999Fleischer, M; Jacobson, SH. Information theory and the finite-time behavior of the simulated annealing algorithm: Experimental results. INFORMS Journal on Computing 1999 11:1, 35-43. doi: 10.1287/ijoc.11.1.351091-9856http://hdl.handle.net/10919/25830This article presents an empirical approach that demonstrates a theoretical connection between (information theoretic) entropy measures and the finite-time performance of the simulated annealing algorithm. The methodology developed reads to several computational approaches for creating problem instances useful in testing and demonstrating the entropy/performance connection: use of generic configuration spaces, polynomial transformations between NP-hard problems, and modification of penalty parameters. In particular, the computational results show that higher entropy measures are associated with superior finite-time performance of the simulated annealing algorithm.application/pdfenIn CopyrightLogic modeling and computationInformation theorySimulated annealingEntropyArticlehttp://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/pdf/10.1287/ijoc.11.1.35https://doi.org/10.1287/ijoc.11.1.35