Bellman's principle of optimality

Okay kiddo, imagine you're going on a big trip to visit all your friends across the country! You've got a big map and you need to plan the best route to take.

Now, Bellman's Principle of Optimality says that if you want to get to your destination in the shortest amount of time possible, you should plan your route in a certain way.

Instead of just looking at each leg of the journey on its own, you should think about the bigger picture. That means considering all the different parts of the journey together and seeing how one decision affects the entire trip.

So, say you start in New York and need to go to California. Instead of just looking at the first leg of the journey (like, should we take the train or drive?), you consider all the different options and how they might affect the rest of the trip. You might realize that taking the train to Chicago actually saves you time because you avoid traffic, even though it might be more expensive.

By applying Bellman's Principle of Optimality, you can make sure you're always making the best decision for the journey as a whole, rather than just each individual part. It's like thinking big picture instead of just focusing on the little details.