What term describes randomized algorithms that can either always produce a correct result (Las Vegas) or may produce a result with some probability of error (Monte Carlo)?

• A. Deterministic algorithms
• B. Parallel algorithms
• C. Probabilistic algorithms
• D. Heuristic algorithms

Answer: (C)

Probabilistic algorithms use randomness as part of their decision process. They cover both Las Vegas and Monte Carlo variants: Las Vegas methods always produce the correct result, but their running time is random, while Monte Carlo methods run in a guaranteed amount of time but may yield a result that is incorrect with some probability. This broader category fits the description in the question because it encompasses algorithms that can be always correct or may have a small chance of error, depending on how randomness is used and analyzed.

Deterministic algorithms don’t rely on randomness and always produce the same output for a given input. Parallel algorithms focus on executing tasks concurrently rather than on randomness. Heuristic algorithms are practical problem-solving methods that may be approximate and not guaranteed to be optimal or exact; they aren’t defined by randomness alone, so probabilistic algorithms is the best fit for this description.