Questions tagged [computational-complexity]
This is a branch that includes: computational complexity theory; complexity classes, NP-completeness and other completeness concepts; oracle analogues of complexity classes; complexity-theoretic computational models; regular languages; context-free languages; Komolgorov Complexity and so on.
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Can a problem be simultaneously polynomial time and undecidable?
The Robertson-Seymour theorem on graph minors leads to some interesting conundrums.
The theorem states that any minor-closed class of graphs can be described by a finite number of excluded minors. As ...
54
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Walsh Fourier transform of the Möbius function
This question is related to this previous question where I asked about ordinary Fourier coefficients.
Special case: is Möbius nearly orthogonal to Morse
August Ferdinand Möbius (November 17, 1790 – ...
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Can all convex optimization problems be solved in polynomial time using interior-point algorithms?
Just a new guy in optimization. Is it true that all convex optimization problems can be solved in polynomial time using interior-point algorithms?
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What are the current breakthroughs of Geometric Complexity Theory?
I've read from Wikipedia about Geometric Complexity Theory (GCT) which (if I understood correctly) is a program for coping with the $ P=NP $ problem using algebraic methods.
That program seems ...
18
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Explicit invariant of tensors nonvanishing on the diagonal
The group $SL_n \times SL_n \times SL_n$ acts naturally on the vector space $\mathbb C^n \otimes \mathbb C^n \otimes \mathbb C^n$ and has a rather large ring of polynomial invariants. The element $$\...
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On mathematical arguments against Quantum computing
Quantum computing is a very active and rapidly expanding field of research. Many companies and research institutes are spending a lot on this futuristic and potentially game-changing technology. Some ...
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Optimizing the condition number
Suppose I have a set $S$ of $N$ vectors in $W=\mathbb{R}^m,$ with $N \gg m.$ I want to choose a subset $\{v_1, \dots, v_m\}$ of $S$ in such a way that the condition number of the matrix with columns $...
6
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2
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A Query regarding the Halting Problem (Omega): Halting Probability for Given Input Size
I was studying the Halting Problem in context of the Probability and had a few doubts regarding it. Hope someone could help me out.
I am aware of the probability of a Random program halting on a ...
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Maximum independent set in dense graphs
Let $0 < A < 1$ and $G$ be connected d-regular graph
with degree $d=[A n]$. The density of $G$ is about $A$.
Q1 Are there constraints on $A$ such that finding maximum
independent set of $G$ is ...
106
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Analogues of P vs. NP in the history of mathematics
Recently I wrote a blog post entitled "The Scientific Case for P≠NP". The argument I tried to articulate there is that there seems to be an "invisible electric fence" separating the problems in P ...
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Computational complexity of computing homotopy groups of spheres
At various times I've heard the statement that computing the group structure of $\pi_k S^n$ is algorithmic. But I've never come across a reference claiming this.
Is there a precise algorithm ...
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How fast can we *really* multiply matrices?
Background: The Strassen Algorithm, described here, has a computational complexity of $\text{O}(n^{2.807})$ for the multiplication of two $n \times n$ matrices (the exponent is $\frac{\log7}{\log2}$). ...
47
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Is it easy to produce hard-to-color graphs?
This question arises from my recent visit to my daughter's second-grade class, where I led some discussion and activities on graph coloring (see Math for seven-year-olds). In one such activity, each ...
46
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What is the time complexity of computing sin(x) to t bits of precision?
Short version of the question: Presumably, it's poly$(t)$. But what polynomial, and could you provide a reference?
Long version of the question:
I'm sort of surprised to be asking this, because ...
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How hard is reconstructing a permutation from its differences sequence?
My interest in combinatorially motivated computational problems led me to search for simple problems that turn out to be computationally hard. In this pursuit, I came up with a problem which I hope is ...
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Determining if a rational function has a subtraction-free expression
This question was first asked by Mehtaab Sawhney in Alex Postnikov's combinatorics class.
Given a rational function $F=P(x_1,...,x_n)/Q(x_1,...,x_n)$ with (say) integer coefficients, it is often of ...
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Solving NP problems in (usually) Polynomial time?
Just because a problem is NP-complete doesn't mean it can't be usually solved quickly.
The best example of this is probably the traveling salesman problem, for which extraordinarily large instances ...
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Deep theorems and long proofs
I ran across this discussion by Daniel Shanks,
"Is the quadratic reciprocity law a deep theorem?."
Solved and Unsolved Problems in Number Theory. Vol. 297. AMS, 2001. p.64ff.
which made me ...
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1
answer
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Forcing over set theory versus forcing over arithmetic
I've been trying to understand better some of the research on forcing over bounded arithmetic and its connections with lower bounds in complexity theory. For example, Takeuti and Yasumoto have some ...
18
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7
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SAT and Arithmetic Geometry
This is an agglomeration of several questions, linked by a single observation: SAT is equivalent to determining the existence of roots for a system of polynomial equations over $\mathbb{F}_2$ (note ...
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3
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Complexity of computing matrix rank over integers
Does computing the rank of an integer matrix have complexity polynomial in the size of the input?
The Gaussian elimination algorithm is polynomial in the number of elementary operations (addition and ...
12
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1
answer
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Seeking references for finding primes infinitely often
I've been pondering this weakened version of the finding primes problem for a while:
Is there an algorithm which given $k$ outputs a prime $p > 2^k$ in time $F(\log_2(p))$?
This differs from ...
11
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3
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Finite objects for which isomorphism is NP-hard or harder?
Are there finite objects for which deciding isomorphism
is NP-hard or harder?
Graphs and groups are not solutions.
Searching the web didn't return answer for me.
Partial result based on Chow's ...
7
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2
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Building a Physical Model to Solve Sudoku
Before asking my questions, allow me to begin with a separate example to help clarify what I'm driving at. For terms that are not defined formally, please interpret them as you feel would be most ...
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Computational complexity of calculating the nth root of a real number
Several sources state that the computational or time complexity of square rooting is the same as that of multiplication (or division). See for example:
Jean-Michel Muller, "Elementary Functions: ...
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2
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Conic hulls and cones
Suppose I have a number of vectors in $\mathbb{R}^n.$ The first question is: what is the most efficient algorithm to compute their "conic hull" (the minimal convex cone which contains them)? The next ...
6
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1
answer
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Time functions of non-deterministic Turing machines
Let $M$ be a non-deterministic Turing machine which recognizes a language $L$, that is, for every input word $u$ there is an accepting computation with input $u$ if and only if $u\in L$. The smallest ...
6
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1
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Exact arithmetic for real algebraic numbers
There was a reply to a question (that I can't find) which mentioned SARAG (Some Algorithms
in Real Algebraic Geometry) see http://perso.univ-rennes1.fr/marie-francoise.roy/bpr-ed2-posted2.html. This ...
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1
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Given a set of 2D vertices, how to create a minimum-area polygon which contains all the given vertices?
Not sure whether this question belongs here or math.stackexchange.
You can assume that all the vertices are unique. The given vertices can be the vertices of the polygon, thus they do NOT have to be ...
5
votes
1
answer
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an algebraic variety for a boolean circuit
There is a polynomial reduction from a $3-CNF$ $SAT$ problem to some system of polynomial equations over $\mathbb{F}_2$.
I mean there is polynomial reduction $F$ such that for every boolean ...
5
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1
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Complexity for solving linear equations?
What is the best known complexity for finding a vector $x \in \mathbb{R}^n$ to minimize $||Ax - b||^2$ and/or to solve (when possible) the system of linear equations $Ax=b$?
I am interested in ...
3
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1
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Relationship between P-noncomputable and P-random sets
$P$ means polynomial complexity.
$S_p$ is the class of all $P$_random set, and $S_{pc}$ is the class of all $P$ noncomputable sets, is $S_p \bigcap S_{pc}$ empty? If not empty, any example?
what is ...
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1
answer
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Finding the square root modulo n, when the factors of n are known
Last month, I asked whether there is an efficient algorithm for finding the square root modulo a prime power here: Is there an efficient algorithm for finding a square root modulo a prime power?
Now, ...
1
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1
answer
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relationship between corner tile and edge tile of wang tile
It is clear that any corner type of Wang Tile could be converted to edge type of Wang Tile by defining the edge color according to the corner color.
However, could we convert edge type of Wang Tile ...
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What is the shortest program for which halting is unknown?
In short, my question is:
What is the shortest computer program for which it is not known whether or not the program halts?
Of course, this depends on the description language; I also have the ...
33
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Is this conjecture strictly weaker than P=NP?
My three computability questions are related to the following group theory question (first asked by Bridson in 1996):
For which real $\alpha\ge 2$ the function $n^\alpha$ is equivalent to the Dehn ...
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Given a polynomial-time algorithm, can we compute an explicit polynomial time bound just from the program?
Question. Given a Turing-machine program $e$, which
is guaranteed to run in polynomial time, can we computably
find such a polynomial?
In other words, is there a
computable function $e\mapsto p_e$, ...
30
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1
answer
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Guess that group via product queries
Suppose someone (person B) knows a finite group $G$ of order $n$.
You (person A) know only the order $n$,
and that $1$ is the name of the identity element.
The group elements are named $1,2,\ldots,n$ ...
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Is the theory of categories decidable?
There are a lot of theorems in basic homological algebra, such as the five lemma or the snake lemma, that seem like they'd be more easily proven by computer than by hand. This led me to consider the ...
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How do we know that P != LINSPACE without knowing if one is a subset of the other?
I've seen that P != LINSPACE (by which I mean SPACE(n)), but that we don't know if one is a subset of the other.
I assume that means that the proof must not involve showing a problem that's in one ...
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Computational complexity of topological K-theory
I am a novice with K-theory trying to understand what is and what is not possible.
Given a finite simplicial complex $X$, there of course elementary ways to quickly compute the cohomology of $X$ with ...
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What would be some major consequences of the inconsistency of ZFC?
Update (21st April, 2019). Removed the reference / initial trigger behind my question (please see comment thread below for the reasons). Am retaining, of course, the actual question, noted both in the ...
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Who first dubbed them "expander graphs"?
Expander graphs
("sparse graphs that have strong connectivity properties")
burst onto the mathematical scene around the millennium, but I have not
been successful in tracing the origin of
(a) the ...
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Evidence for integer factorization is in $P$
Peter Sarnak believes that integer factorization is in $P$. It is a well-known open problem in TCS to identify the real complexity class of integer factorization. Take a look at this link for Peter ...
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Discrete Fourier Transform of the Möbius Function
Consider the Möbius function $\mu (m)$. (Thus $\mu(m)=0$ unless all prime factors of $m$ appear once and $\mu (m)=(-1)^r$ if $m$ has $r$ distinct prime factors.) Next consider for some natural number $...
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Super-linear time complexity lower bounds for any natural problem in NP?
Do we know any problem in NP which has a super-linear time complexity lower bound? Ideally, we would like to show that 3SAT has super-polynomial lower bounds, but I guess we're far away from that. I'd ...
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Any important consequences with presupposition of $\mathbf{P} \neq \mathbf{NP}$
As we know, there are lots of consequences with the presupposition of the Riemann Hypothesis.
Similarly, are there any important consequences with the presupposition of $\mathbf{P} \neq \mathbf{NP}$ ?...
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Enumeration and random selection
In Peter J. Cameron's book "Permutation Groups" I found the following quote
It is a slogan of modern enumeration theory that the ability to count a set is closely related to the ability to pick a ...
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Möbius Randomness of the Rudin-Shapiro Sequence
The Rudin-Shapiro sequence (also known as the Golay-Rudin-Shapiro sequence) is defined as follows.
Let $a_n = \sum \epsilon_i\epsilon_{i+1}$ where $\epsilon_1,\epsilon_2,\dots$ are the digits in the ...
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A generalization of the triangle counting problem for simple weighted graphs
One nice identity is that $$\operatorname{tr}(A^3)/6$$ counts the number of triangles of a graph with adjacency matrix $A$. It also implies that triangle counting in a graph can be performed in sub-...