ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Max-plus algebra

Imagine you have a bunch of toys and you want to organize them. In normal algebra, you can think of numbers as your toys, and you can add them together or multiply them to organize or combine them. But sometimes, you have a special kind of toys called "max" toys.

Max toys are special because when you want to organize them, you don't add them up or multiply them like normal toys. Instead, you pick the biggest or maximum number among them. So, let's say you have two max toys: one is 3 and the other is 7. When you want to organize them, you don't add 3 and 7 to get 10 like normal toys. Instead, you just pick the bigger number, which is 7. So the result is 7.

Now, max-plus algebra is like a special language that helps you organize and solve problems involving max toys. You can do all sorts of calculations with max toys using this language.

For example, let's say you want to organize three max toys: one has the number 4, the second has the number 9, and the third has the number 5. First, you compare the numbers and pick the biggest one. In this case, it's 9. So you write down 9 as the result so far.

Then, you compare the next number, which is 5, with the result you have so far, which is 9. You see that 9 is bigger than 5, so you keep it as the result.

Finally, you compare the last number, which is 4, with the result you have so far, which is 9. You notice that 9 is still bigger than 4, so you keep it as the result.

So, the final result is 9. That's how you organize max toys using max-plus algebra.

You can do more complicated calculations with max-plus algebra, like finding the maximum number among many numbers or finding the maximum number after doing some calculations with max toys. It's a powerful tool that helps us work with max toys in a special way to solve problems.