Stochastic and probabilistic algorithms
What is the difference between stochastic and probabilistic an algorithm?
Why are their definitions separated?
Are they synonymous?
1 answers
Depends on the specific definitions.
Traditionally, the concept of a probabilistic algorithm is tied to guarantees for the quality of the result or the running time of the algorithm. Probabilistic algorithms are divided into two subclasses:
Or they guarantee their working time, but give an accurate result only with a certain probability,
Or they guarantee the accuracy of the result, but they fit into the specified working time only with a certain probability.
Stochastic can be called in general any algorithm whose behavior depends on random factors, regardless of whether it gives any guarantees for the working time/quality of the result or not.