Finding the shortest distance between two points seems simple, but as points are added to a route, the process to precisely calculate the quickest way to get to all points becomes a real brainteaser.
The number of ways you can visit each point multiplies as the destinations increase. For example, with three points, there are only six possible routes, and with four points, there are 24 combinations.
With 24 combinations, you might still have a chance to figure out the shortest route, but once you get to five points, your mind might need some help from AI because there are 120 possibilities to maneuver through all stops. Once you get to nine points, the possibilities are equal to the grains of sand found in one kilogram. We assure you that is A LOT.
Imagine if you are a logistics manager routing numerous trucks through multiple points. If you don’t find the shortest distance between them all, you would be wasting time and resources, which could cost millions of dollars over time, on top of the cost of maintaining your fleet. Furthermore, in a real-world scenario, there are wrecks, construction, and other detours that create havoc on route management.
If you find yourself in this situation, don’t fret, there is software available that assists with optimizing routes, which is coincidentally called Route Optimization software.
Something needs to be done in a routing scenario that involves multiple points because American motorists waste $300 billion a year stuck in gridlock traffic, not to mention the wasted time, which in many cases is more important than money.
