International Journal of Mathematics and

Computer Applications Research (IJMCAR)

ISSN(P): 2249-6955; ISSN(E): 2249-8060
Vol. 4, Issue 6, Dec 2014, 53-60
TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

TYPE REDUCTION ON FUZZY SHORTEST PATH PROBLEM

V. ANUSUYA1 & R. SATHYA2
1

PG and Research, Department of Mathematics, Seethalakshmi Ramaswami College, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India
2

Department of Mathematics, K. S. Rangasamy College of Arts & Science, Tiruchengode, Tamil Nadu, India

ABSTRACT
In this paper we have developed an algorithm for finding shortest path in a fuzzy network by edge type reduction
method with centroid and centre of gravity of fuzzy set. A proposed algorithm gives the fuzzy shortest path in which type-2
discrete fuzzy number is assigned to each arc length. An illustrative example also included to demonstrate our proposed
algorithm.

KEYWORDS: Type-2 Fuzzy Set, Centroid of a Type-2 Fuzzy Set, Extension Principle, Centre of Gravity of Fuzzy Set
1. INTRODUCTION
The shortest path problem is a classical and important network optimization problem appearing in many real life
applications. Dubois and Prade[4] first analyzed this problem and proposed an algorithm to find the shortest path.
Klein[10] presented new models based on fuzzy shortest paths and also given a general algorithm based on
dynamic programming to solve the new models. Chuang and Kung[2] proposed a fuzzy shortest path length procedure that
can find a fuzzy shortest path length among all possible paths in a network. Yao and Lin[16] presented two new types of
fuzzy shortest path network problems. Thus, numerous papers have been published on the fuzzy shortest path problem.
According to Hisdal[5], Increased fuzziness in a description means increased ability to handle inexact
information in a logically correct manner. The concept of type-2 fuzzy sets was introduced by Zadeh as an extension of the
concept of an ordinary fuzzy set.
The output of a type-1 fuzzy logic system is a type-1 fuzzy set. This set is usually defuzzified and as is well
known, many of the most useful defuzzification methods involve a centroid calculation [12,3]. Recently a type-2 fuzzy
logic system [6, 7, 8] has been developed, and its output is a type-2 fuzzy set. A major calculation in a type-2 fuzzy logic
system is type-reduction[9], which is an extension[18] of a type-1 defuzzification procedure. In this paper, we focus on the
centroid of Gaussian type-2 fuzzy sets and centre of gravity of fuzzy sets for finding fuzzy shortest path.
The rest of the paper is structured as follows: Section 2, discusses background theory of type-2 fuzzy set and type
reduction method. We developed an algorithm to find the shortest path with type-2 fuzzy number is section 3. Section 4
gives the network terminology. Finally to illustrate the proposed algorithm the numerical example is solved in section 5.

2. CONCEPTS
Type-2 Fuzzy Set
A fuzzy set A in X is defined as a set of ordered pairs A = {(x, A(x)/x X } where is called the membership
function maps each element of X to a membership grade between 0 and 1.

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V. Anusuya & R. Sathya

The value of membership degree might include uncertainty. If the value of membership function is given by a
fuzzy set, it is a type-2 fuzzy set.
2. 1 Discrete Type-2 Fuzzy Number
The discrete type-2 fuzzy number

A% can be defined as follows:

A% = A% (x) / x where A% (x) =

x X

f (u) / u

uJ x

where Jx is the primary membership.

2. 3 Extension Principle
Let A1,A2,.....An be independent fuzzy variables with membership functions 1, 2,.. n respectively, and
f:

n a fuction. Then the membership function of B = f(A1,A2,.....An) is derived from the membership

functions 1, 2,. n by

(x) =

min i (x i )

sup

X = f ( X1 , X 2 ,... X N ) 1 i n

2. 4 Addition of Two Discrete Fuzzy Numbers

The addition of fuzzy sets A and B is denoted by A + B and the membership function of A + B is given by
(A + B) (z) = Sup Min {A(x), B(y)} z .
z = x+ y

2. 5 Maximum and Minimum of Two Discrete Fuzzy Numbers

The maximum and minimum of fuzzy sets A and B is denoted by Max (A,B),Min (A,B).The membership function
of Max (A,B) is given by
Max (A, B) (z) =

Sup Min (A(x), B(y)), z

z = max( x , y )

And Min (A, B) (z) is given by

Min (A, B) (z) =

Sup Min (A(x), B(y)), z

z = min( x , y )

2. 6 Centroid of Type-2 Fuzzy Sets

% is a type-2 fuzzy set in the discrete caase. The centroid of A% can be defined as follows:
Suppose that A

C A% =

1J x1 2 J x2

.....

R J xR

[ f x1 (1 ). f x2 ( 2 )...... f xR ( R )
R

x
j =1
R

j =1

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.2949

(x j )

(xj )

Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

55

Type Reduction on Fuzzy Shortest Path Problem

A% = f x j (u) / u / x j
j =1 uJ x j

Where

2. 7 Centre of Gravity of Fuzzy Set

The Centre of gravity of fuzzy set can be represented as
R

x (x )
F(A) =

i =1
R

(x )
i =1

where A =

(x ) / x .
i =1

3. ALGORITHM
Step 1: Reduce the type-2 fuzzy arc length to type-1 fuzzy number using centroid method.
Step 2: Form the possible paths from starting node to destination node and compute the corresponding path
lengths,

CL%i i = 1, 2,....n for possible n paths.

Step 3: Find the Centre of gravity of Fuzzy Set for all path lengths.
R

x (x )
F (CL%i )

i =1
R

CL%

(x )
i =1

C L%

Step 4: Decide the Shortest Path with highest Centre of Gravity.

4. NETWORK TERMINOLOGY
A network is an ordered pair G = (V,E) comprising a set V of vertices or nodes together with a set E of edges or
lines and each edge (vi,vj) E is associated with a weight dij which is a number, an interval or a fuzzy number, where V
and E are usually taken to be finite. If each edge of a network has direction, then it is called directed network. We define a
path p(vi,vj) from the node vi to the node vj in the network is a sequence of alternating node and edges.
The length of the path is the number of edges constituting the path and the distance of a path is the sum of the
weights of the edges constituting the path.

5. NUMERICAL EXAMPLE
In order to illustrate the algorithm consider a small example network having 6 vertices and 10 edges, where each
edge is represented as type-2 fuzzy number.

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V. Anusuya & R. Sathya

Figure 5.1
Solution
The edge weights are

P% = (0.2/0.3)/2 + (0.4/0.6)/3
Q% = (0.1/0.5)/1

R% = (0.3/0.5)/2

S% = (0.7/0.4 + 0.2/0.6)/3
T% = (0.1/0.5)/1 + (0.2/0.3)/2
U% = (0.4/0.6)/2 + (0.4/0.5)/3
V% = (0.7/0.1)/1 +(0.2/0.6)/2
W% = (0.6/0.2)/1 + (0.4/0.5)/3

X% = (0.1/0.2)/2
Y% = (0.4/0.4)/2
Step 1: Reduce the type-2 fuzzy arc length to type-1 fuzzy number using centroid method.

C P% = 0.08/2.7
C Q% = 0.1/1

C R% = 0.3/2
C S% = 0.7/3
CT% = 0.02/1.4
CU% = 0.16/2.5

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.2949

Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

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Type Reduction on Fuzzy Shortest Path Problem

CV% = 0.14/1.9
CW% = 0.24/2.4
C X% = 0.1/2
CY% = 0.4/2
Step 2: Form the possible paths from starting node to destination node and compute the corresponding
lengths,

path

CL%i i = 1, 2,....n for possible n paths.

The Possible paths are,
1 -2 4 - 6
1256
12456
12356
12346
123456
1346
1356
13456
The Path lengths are

CL%1 = 0.08/7.7
CL%2 = 0.02/6.1
CL%3 = 0.08/10.1
CL%4 = 0.08/8.6
CL%5 = 0.08/9.2
CL%6 = 0.08/11.6
CL%7 = 0.1/5.5
CL%8 = 0.1/4.9
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V. Anusuya & R. Sathya

CL%9 = 0.1/7.9
Step 3: Find the Centre of gravity of Fuzzy Set for all path lengths.
R

x (x )
F (CL%i )

i =1
R

CL%

(x )
i =1

CL%

F (CL%1 ) = 7.7
F (CL%2 ) = 6.1
F (CL%3 ) = 10.1
F (CL%4 ) = 8.6
F (CL%5 ) = 9.2
F (CL%6 ) = 11.6
F (CL%7 ) = 5.5
F (CL%8 ) = 4.9
F (CL%9 ) = 7.9
Step 4: Justify the Shortest Path with highest Centre of Gravity.
The Shortest path is 1 2 3 4 5 6 with the path length is 0.08/11

6. CONCLUSIONS
The shortest path problem with a type-2 fuzzy network is explained in this paper. We proposed a method based on
Edge type reduction for type-2 fuzzy number. Edge type reduction will give the more accuracy in the case of centre of
gravity in the part of deciding fuzzy shortest path.

REFERENCES
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V. Anusuya and R, Sathya, Type-2 fuzzy shortest path, International Journal of fuzzy mathematical Archive,
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T. N. chuag and J. Y. Kung, The fuzzy shortest path length and the corresponding shortest path in a network,
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D. Driankov, H. Hellendoorn, M. Reinfrank, An introduction to fuzzy control, Second ed., Springer, Berlin,
1996.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.2949

Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

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Type Reduction on Fuzzy Shortest Path Problem

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D. Dubois and H. Prade, Theory and Applications:, Fuzzy sets and systems, Academic Press, New York.

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