juniorQ-Learning
What is discount factor gamma?
Updated May 17, 2026
Short answer
Gamma determines importance of future rewards.
Deep explanation
Values near 1 prioritize long-term rewards; near 0 prioritize immediate rewards.
Real-world example
Used in financial trading agents balancing short vs long-term profit.
Common mistakes
- Setting gamma = 1 causing instability in some environments.
Follow-up questions
- What happens if gamma = 0?