MountainPaths

Overview

MountainPaths analyzes topological map data to identify an efficient route across mountainous terrain, with a focus on minimizing resistance while traveling from west to east.

What I Learned

I learned how different pathfinding strategies behave on the same terrain data, how algorithm design changes both route quality and runtime tradeoffs, and how to translate theoretical ideas into code.

What I Accomplished

I built a Python project that applied both Greedy and Dijkstra's approaches to a topographical map, producing route comparisons and a clear path-of-least-resistance result from west to east.

Comp Sci Learning Goals

• Understood software design by organizing the project around data processing, algorithm choice, and route evaluation.
• Developed effective problem solving skills by comparing approaches and refining logic to improve path quality.

University Wide Leaning Goals

• Critical Thinking: evaluated algorithm tradeoffs and selected methods based on behavior, not just theory.
• Global Responsibility: approached the project as a data-driven optimization problem tied to real-world terrain analysis.

Why It Matters

This final project pushed me to connect algorithm theory with a visual, data-driven problem where implementation details directly affect route quality and performance.