Overlapping subproblems refer to a property of certain computational problems where the same subproblems are solved multiple times during the process of finding a solution. This characteristic is crucial in optimizing algorithms, especially in dynamic programming, as it allows for the reuse of previously computed results instead of recalculating them. Recognizing overlapping subproblems can significantly reduce the time complexity of an algorithm by enabling more efficient storage and retrieval of these results.
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