exponential-time algorithm

An exponential-time algorithm is a type of algorithm whose runtime grows exponentially with the size of the input. This means that as the input size (n) increases, the time required to run the algorithm increases dramatically, making it impractical for large inputs.123

For example, an algorithm with a time complexity of O(2ⁿ) would take a very long time to complete even for moderately sized inputs. While an input of n=10 might run in under a second, an input of n=100 could take thousands of years. Problems solvable in polynomial time are considered efficient, while those requiring exponential time are often deemed intractable. The P versus NP problem explores whether all problems solvable in exponential time (NP problems) can also be solved in polynomial time (P problems).124