Non-deterministic polynomial time

Non-deterministic Polynomial time (NP) refers to a class of problems for which potential solutions can be verified quickly (in polynomial time), even if finding those solutions may be difficult or time-consuming. Think of it as having a process that, if given a possible answer, can efficiently confirm whether it's correct, but discovering that answer might require exploring many possibilities. NP problems are important in computer science because they encompass many complex tasks, like optimization and decision-making problems, where verification is easier than construction. The key question is whether every problem in NP can be solved just as efficiently as it can be verified.