Have you ever thought about how the layout of a website is always vertical but never horizontal?
It is because a vertical format efficiently increases readability along with making the alignment and contents of the site appear clean.
This is basically facilitated by the Word Wrap Algorithm. This algorithm makes sure that the words within a text are sequentially presented in a specific formatting so that every sentence makes sense in a text.
From Microsoft Word to OpenOffice, there are plenty of programs that use the Word Wrap Problem for solving line spacing and placement issues.
Let's discuss the Word Wrap Algorithm in detail!
What do you mean by Word Wrap Problem?
Word Wrap is one of the most interesting and fascinating features in programming. This algorithm allows the computer program to adjust words in a different sequence or sentence if it finds that there is no space left in the previous line.
The general idea behind a Word Wrap problem is having balanced lines, meaning that the given line structure should follow an adequate structure.
This function arranges the lines in an efficient manner so that there are absolutely no extra spaces or tight spaces between the elements of any given statement.
Now we have a general idea of what exactly entails the Word Wrap Algorithm.
Next up, we should consider having a look at how the Word Wrap Algorithm is put to use in real-time.
Why do we use the Word Wrap Algorithm?
Word wrapping is basically used for containing text in a simplified and systematically arranged order.
Using the Word Wrap Algorithm you can contain the texts in their specific allotted area. This prevents any of the letters or words from being missed or cut off from the sentence.
One of the biggest advantages of using the Word Wrap Algorithm is to make sure that we are able to scroll through pages on the web vertically and not horizontally.
Here are some of the use cases of the Word Wrap Algorithm:
Aligning the text on webpages and websites
If the Word Wrap Algorithm was not invented, we would be scrolling the web pages from left to right and not top to bottom.
The algorithm helps programmers to wrap the text in a specifically allocated area so that they can appear readable and presentable.
Aligning text in a text box
A text box basically performs the function of the Word Wrap Algorithm. You will observe that in a text box you can write any number of characters without having to run out of space.
This is how the Word Wrap Algorithm basically functions. You can wrap a text in a specific area and it will have to accommodate all the characters in the lines in a systematic order.
In short, the Word Wrap Algorithm basically makes the contents of a text or website look presentable and professional.
In the following section, we will discuss a Word Wrap Problem and the basic approaches for solving the problem.
How to solve a Word Wrap Problem?
Let's consider the following problem statement and solve the Word Wrap Problem.
Problem Statement:
You have been given a series of words. The limit for arranging these series of words is only a single line. Which essentially means that you can only arrange these words in a line's width.
You are required to place breaks in-between the line following an ordered sequence so that the given lines can be printed efficiently after the program is completed.
You can assume that the length of each of the words in the given sentence is smaller than the width of the line.
Answer Key:
In the above mentioned problem, note that the cost function will not be restricted to extra spaces but it will be summation of the cubes that are being used by these extra spaces.
The main thought process behind each of these cost functions is to make sure that there is a balance between the lines and the word spaces.
For solving the Word Wrap Problem, we can employ three different forms of approaches.
Let's start with the Greedy Algorithm.
Approach 1: Greedy Algorithm
The purpose of the greedy algorithm would be to make sure that we can adjust a significant number of words within the first line itself.
Next up, we will perform the same function for the second line and will continue to do so for all the other lines.
The main objective of using the Greedy Algorithm is to make sure that a sustainable solution is attained, neglecting all the other solutions that might take a huge amount of time.
The Greedy Algorithm can prove to be highly effective in most cases but not in all.
In the context of the Word Wrap Problem, the greedy algorithm is used by various prominent word processors such as OpenOffice.org and MS Word.
Approach 2: Recursive Algorithm and Memorization
The best part of using the Recursive Algorithm is that it will thoroughly go through each of the lines and make sure to adjust the words within the given sentences of the line.
You can use the divide and conquer approach in the recursive algorithm to solve the Word Wrap Problem.
Using divide and conquer, the sentences will be divided in terms of space that is allocated to each of the lines.
Since this is the recursive approach, you will find that the algorithm will make sure that each of the words adjust within the sentences make sense when formed in a line.
Approach 3: Dynamic Programming
The Dynamic Programming Approach is more of a complex one where the algorithm focuses on being cost effective.
The algorithm will start with defining the computational cost of all the possible lines that can be accommodated within the given index values.
If the algorithm finds that a sequence of words does not fit within a single line, then the word will be eliminated. Once the whole program is completed, you will be able to optimize the cost of the whole problem.
Winding Up
The main purpose of using different approaches in the Word Wrap Problem is to make sure that the program can be made cost effective.
Which is why we consider that Dynamic Programming would be the best approach for solving problems like word wrap and also count all subsequences having product less than k.
