In a constraint satisfaction problem, one has a set of constaints between variables and the promary goal is to find a set of values that make all of the constraints true. The constraints may include are equalities, such as A * C = 6, or inequalities such as A > B. Sometimes there is a unique solution, for example, given the constraints A > B, B > C+3, A*C = 6, there are is exactly 1 integer solutions: A=6, B=5, C=1 . Other times there may be many solutions, for example if the constraints are a little relaxed to A > B, B > C+2, A*C = 6, there are is exactly 2 integer solutions: A=6, B=5, C=1 and A=6, B=4, C=1 . Sometimes there is no solution at all, for example there are no integer solutions to A > B, B > C+4, A*C = 6,
Sometimes optimisation problems have a set of constraints and the goal is to find the best solution given the constriants. In such cirsumstances a set of values that satisfies the cinsrinats, but may not necessarily be optimal, is called a feasible solution.
Defined on page 78
Used on pages 6, 78, 81, 190, 191, 192, 263, 425, 430, 434
Also known as constraint solving