A Statistical Approach to the TSP

This paper is an example of the growing interface between statistics and mathematical optimization. A very efficient heuristic algorithm for the combinatorially intractable TSP is presented, from which statistical estimates of the optimal tour length can be derived. Assumptions, along with computational experience and conclusions are discussed.Supported in part by the U.S. Department of Transportation under contract DOT-TSC-1058, Transportation Advanced Research Program (TARP)