(Evolutionary Algorithms)

(a) A fitness function is used to evaluate the quality of solutions produced by Evolutionary Algorithms. Evaluate the consequences of a fitness function that takes a significant time to compute has on the evolutionary algorithms approach. Devise two alternative approaches to reduce the time to compute the fitness. Describe a disadvantage of both approaches. (12 marks)

(b) Below are binary string genetic codes that represent two parents. You are required to perform two point crossover (at 25% and 50%) on these genetic codes in order to produce two children from the parents. After cross over has been completed you are then required to mutate selected bits in both children. In the first child mutations happen at bits [0, 5, 11, 23] and in the second child mutations happen at bits [11, 14, 16, 27, 30]

parent A: 10101111110010100000101000111100

parent B: 01010101000111101101011100110011

(8 marks)