What is memoization?

Memoization is like having a super helpful friend who remembers answers to questions you've asked before.

Imagine you're playing a game where you have to solve simple math problems, like "What's 3 + 4?" or "What's 5 × 6?" Each time you ask a question, your friend solves it for you. But if the same question comes up again, instead of solving it all over again, your friend just gives you the answer they remember from before.

This way, you don't have to do extra work every time, your friend saves you time and energy by remembering what happened before.

Think about a vending machine. Every time you put in a coin and press a button, it gives you a snack. But if you want the same snack again, you don't need to remember how much it costs or which button to press, you just go for it again, knowing what happens next.

Memoization is like that vending machine, it stores answers so you can get them quickly when you need them again.