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15 votes
2 answers
3k views

Given the vertices of a convex polytope, how can we construct its half-space representation?

Let us say I have the vertices of a polytope $V = \{v_1,\dots,v_k\} \subset \mathbb R^n$. Is it possible to write $V$ as intersection of half-spaces using the information from the vertices, i.e., can ...
user27396's user avatar
  • 173
12 votes
1 answer
5k views

Closest 3D rotation matrix in the Frobenius norm sense

Given a 3 by 3 matrix $M$ I would like to find the rotation matrix $R$ minimizing the Frobenius norm: \begin{equation} \|R-M\|_F \end{equation} Is there a closed form solution for $R$, or is it ...
Alex Flint's user avatar
11 votes
3 answers
6k views

Random Sampling a linearly constrained region in n-dimensions...

Hi, So here is my problem: Given a nonlinear, discontinous, cost function $f(x_1,x_2,..,x_N)$ along with linear constraints $x_n \ge 0, \forall n$ $x_n \le c_n$ and $\sum_{n=1}^N x_n = 1$ find an ...
user1's user avatar
  • 113
6 votes
6 answers
3k views

Circumference of Convex Shapes

Here is a puzzle I found in Mitteilungen der DMV (roughly, "Letters of the German Society of Mathematicians"), issue 19/2011. It was posed by Alfred Schreiber in "Wie man Hasen fangt" (How to catch ...
Matthias Goergens's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
327 views

LP Constraints for Connected Subgraphs of Fixed Size

Question: how can the connectedness-constraint for a subgraph, that is induced by a proper subset $W\subset V$ of the vertices of $G(V,E),\ |V|=n,\ |W|=m$, be formulated in a $LP$ or $ILP$? ...
Manfred Weis's user avatar
  • 13.2k
1 vote
1 answer
144 views

On convex polygons contained in convex polygons

In what follows '$n$-gon' stands for '$n$-vertex polygonal region'. Question: Given a convex $n$-gon $C$, find the smallest convex region $R$ such that $C$ is the smallest $n$-gon that contains it. ...
Nandakumar R's user avatar
  • 5,979
27 votes
3 answers
4k views

Can squares of side 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, … be packed into three quarters of a unit square?

My question is prompted by this illustration from Eugenia Cheng’s book Beyond Infinity, where it appears in reference to the Basel problem. Is it known whether the infinite set of squares of side $\...
Robin Houston's user avatar
27 votes
5 answers
2k views

Is the matrix $\left({2m\choose 2j-i}\right)_{i,j=1}^{2m-1}$ nonsingular?

Suppose we have a $(2m-1) \times (2m-1)$ matrix defined as follows: $$\left({2m\choose 2j-i}\right)_{i,j=1}^{2m-1}.$$ For example, if $m=3$, the matrix is $$\begin{pmatrix}6 & 20 & 6& 0 ...
user42804's user avatar
  • 1,121
20 votes
2 answers
25k views

Partitioning a polygon into convex parts

I'm looking for an algorithm to partition any simple closed polygon into convex sub-polygons--preferably as few as possible. I know almost nothing about this subject, so I've been searching on Google ...
user14059's user avatar
  • 201
19 votes
2 answers
2k views

Is the tensor product of polyhedra a polyhedron?

Conventions: A polytope in a finite-dimensional $\mathbb R$-vector space $V$ is defined to be a convex hull of finitely many points in $V$. A polyhedron in a finite-dimensional $\mathbb R$-vector ...
darij grinberg's user avatar
17 votes
3 answers
2k views

The minimum of a sum of absolute values of inner products in $\mathbb{R}^d$

Consider a collection of unit vectors $v_1, \ldots, v_n$ in $\mathbb{R}^d$ (we think of $n$ being much larger than $d$). I would like to minimize the sum: $$\sum_{i\neq j}|\langle v_i,v_j\rangle|.$$ ...
TOM's user avatar
  • 2,288
14 votes
2 answers
635 views

Tarski-Seidenberg for strict inequalities and bounded quantification

This theorem says that quantifiers over real variables can be eliminated from classical first order formulae built from equations and inequalities between polynomials with rational coefficients, ie in ...
Paul Taylor's user avatar
  • 8,481
14 votes
2 answers
540 views

Are all well behaved "mean" functions on $\mathbb{R}^+$ equivalent?

Given a set $S$, a function $M: S\times S \rightarrow S$ is a mean if it satisfies the properties: $M(a,a)=a\qquad$ (identity) $M(a,b)=M(b,a)\qquad$ (commutativity). and possibly $M(M(a,b),M(a,c))=...
Yaakov Baruch's user avatar
13 votes
3 answers
1k views

(non-)existence of the aperiodic monotile

The aperiodic monotile problem asks whether there exists a single tile that every tiling of the plane made with it results non-periodic. What is known about this problem? If this tile exists, how can ...
Melquíades Ochoa's user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
3k views

Algorithm for embedding a graph with metric constraints

Suppose I have a graph $G$ with vertex set $V$, edge set $E \subseteq {V \choose 2}$, a poistive integer $d$, and a weight function $w:E \to \mathbb{R}^{+}$. Is there a nice algorithmic way to decide ...
Matthew Kahle's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
3k views

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 ...
Igor Rivin's user avatar
  • 96.4k
6 votes
1 answer
2k views

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 ...
fajrian's user avatar
  • 163
5 votes
3 answers
1k views

Algorithm for the intersection of a vector subspace with a cone of non-negative vectors

Hi, I would like to know whether there is some more effective way of how to compute an intersection of a vector subspace of $\mathbb{R}^{n}$ with a cone of vectors with non-negative entries than the ...
Miroslav Korbelar's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
156 views

On folding a polygonal sheet

Consider a polygonal sheet $P$ of area $A$ with $N$ vertices (it material is not stretchable or tearable). Let $n$ be a positive integer >=2. Question: Let $P$ lie on a flat plane. We need to fold ...
Nandakumar R's user avatar
  • 5,979
4 votes
1 answer
8k views

Detection of Redundant Constraints

Suppose I pose the following query to a constraint logic programming system: ?- Y <= 6 - X, Y <= (- 4) + 4 * X, Y <= 4 + X / 3. Are there systems that would recognize the last inequality as ...
user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
3k views

optimization of inverse matrix with constraint on matrix elements

everyone! I have this optimization problem with constraint. $D$ and $T$ are symmetric matrices, where T is known and D is the unknown parameter. $x$ and $v$ are two known p-dimensional vectors. The ...
Bing's user avatar
  • 49
3 votes
0 answers
141 views

Optimal intersections between planar convex regions

Here is an earlier discussion that could be related: On comparing planar convex regions of equal perimeter and area We are broadly interested in placing two given planar convex regions so that the ...
Nandakumar R's user avatar
  • 5,979
2 votes
1 answer
586 views

Inverse Problem for Pullback

Let $M$ and $N$ be smooth manifolds and $T: M \to N$ be a smooth map. Let $ \mathcal{F}(M,\mathbb{R})$ (resp.$ \mathcal{F}(N,\mathbb{R})$) denote the space of smooth functions from $M$ (resp. $N$) ...
compmath's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
105 views

Optimization over a convex cone generated by a set is equal to optimization over the set

Within my research I found an important doubt and that prevents me from advancing, the context of my doubt is as follows: We considerer the following optimization problem $$ \left\{\begin{array}{cl} \...
matematicaActiva's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
208 views

On a possible variant of Monsky's theorem

See Wikipedia for Monsky's theorem which states: it is not possible to dissect a square into an odd number of triangles all of equal area. Questions: Are there quadrilaterals that allow partition into ...
Nandakumar R's user avatar
  • 5,979
1 vote
1 answer
130 views

Computational Geometric Aspects of Greedy Tour Expansion

Has the following problem already been investigated from the Computational Geometry point of view and what are the results regarding worst case complexity? Given a finite set $\mathcal{P}...
Manfred Weis's user avatar
  • 13.2k
32 votes
4 answers
7k views

Computational software in Algebraic Topology?

I was wondering if there is any good software out there that allows you to do specific computations in algebraic topology. For example: Create a simplicial complex/set and ask questions about its ...
Joris Weimar's user avatar
29 votes
6 answers
8k views

How to find a closest integer point to the intersection of two lines?

Here's a question that originates from StackOverflow. Given are two lines on a plane, specified by equations ($a x + b y = c$) with integer coefficients. The lines aren't parallel and they don't ...
P Shved's user avatar
  • 391
19 votes
4 answers
1k views

Applications of linear programming duality in combinatorics

So, I know that one can apply the strong LP duality theorem to specific instances of maximum flow problems to recover some nontrivial theorems in combinatorics, such as Hall's theorem, Koenig's ...
amakelov's user avatar
  • 997
18 votes
3 answers
3k views

Deciding membership in a convex hull

Given points $u, v_1, \dots,v_n \in \mathbb{R}^m$, decide if $u$ is contained in the convex hull of $v_1, \dots, v_n$. This can be done efficiently by linear programming (time polynomial in $n,m$) in ...
Mitch's user avatar
  • 667
17 votes
2 answers
2k views

Efficiently determine if convex hull contains the unit ball

Given a set of $n$ points in $\mathbb{R}^d$, is there an algorithm to determine if the convex hull contains the unit ball centered at the origin in polynomial time (in both $n$ and $d$)? The convex ...
Simd's user avatar
  • 3,377
16 votes
2 answers
5k views

Weighted area of a Voronoi cell

Let $X = \{ x_1,\dots,x_n\} $ denote a set of $n$ points in the unit square $S = [0,1]\times[0,1]$, and let $w = \{w_1,\dots,w_n\}$ denote a set of weights corresponding to the $n$ points in $X$. ...
Joord Jacobsen's user avatar
16 votes
3 answers
1k views

Can a convex polytope with $f$ facets have more than $f$ facets when projected into $\mathbb{R}^2$?

Let $P$ be a convex polytope in $\mathbb{R}^d$ with $n$ vertices and $f$ facets. Let $\text{Proj}(P)$ denote the projection of $P$ into $\mathbb{R}^2$. Can $\text{Proj}(P)$ have more than $f$ facets? ...
Pedro Ruiz's user avatar
12 votes
2 answers
11k views

Covering a polygon with rectangles

I am trying to cover a simple concave polygon with a minimum rectangles. My rectangles can be any length, but they have maximum widths, and the polygon will never have an acute angle. I thought about ...
11 votes
3 answers
960 views

Algorithms in Invariant Theory

Let $V$ be a polynomial representation of the general linear group $\Gamma:=\DeclareMathOperator{\Gl}{Gl}\Gl_n(\newcommand{\C}{\mathbb C}\C)$. In chapter 4.6 of his book "Algorithms in Invariant ...
Garfield's user avatar
  • 262
10 votes
0 answers
441 views

A new $\ell_p$-metric on the hyperspace of finite sets?

Let $(X,d)$ be a metric space and $Fin(X)$ be the family of all non-empty finite subsets of $X$. For every $n\in\mathbb N$ the elements of the power $X^n$ are thought as functions $f:n\to X$ where $n:=...
Taras Banakh's user avatar
  • 41.8k
10 votes
2 answers
1k views

Random Voronoi Diagrams

I'm interested in what research has already been done with regards to the statistics of random voronoi diagrams. I have had a look on google scholar and results are a little inconclusive. I'm ...
Pavan Sangha's user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
565 views

The intersection of two $l_1$ balls

Let $B_1$ and $B_2$ be two balls in $\mathbb{R}^n$ with respect to the $l_1$ norm that have different radii and different centers. Is there an upper bound for the number of vertices that $B_1\cap B_2$...
Jennifer Gao's user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
3k views

Computionally efficient vertex enumeration for (convex) polytopes

Let $P \subseteq \mathbb{R}^d$ be an $\mathcal{H}$-polytope. The vertex enumeration problem asks for the set of vertices $V$ of $P$. Theoretically, the vertex enumeration problem for $P$ can be ...
Christopher's user avatar
10 votes
3 answers
755 views

Degree of generators of irreducible components

Let $V$ be a Zariski-closed subset of $\mathbb{A}^n_k$, where $k$ is an algebraically closed field. Assume that $V$ may be defined by polynomials of degree at most $d$ (or to put it otherwise $V$ is ...
Jérôme Poineau's user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
411 views

Network flows with capacities on pairs of edges

Take a standard network flow problem: a directed graph with nonnegative capacities on each edge, a source $s$, a sink $t$. We all know how to find the maximum flow from $s$ to $t$. Now add edge-pair ...
Brendan McKay's user avatar
10 votes
2 answers
3k views

How do you tell if a system of linear inequalities has a solution?

A naive solution would be to optimize a dummy variable via linear programming and see if a result is returned. I imagine there must be a more direct way.
user21816's user avatar
  • 693
9 votes
1 answer
2k views

Uniform sampling from general simplex with a twist

This is part of a question I had asked elsewhere, and then some of the links redirected me to CS stack exchange. Given $0\leq a_1\leq\dots\leq a_D\leq1$ (all strictly positive), I want to draw points ...
Juanito's user avatar
  • 221
9 votes
1 answer
295 views

Definition of packing property

Definition 1: A clutter $C$ is said to have the packing property if $C$ and all of its minors satisfy the König property. where, vertex cover of $C$ is a set of vertices that have non-empty ...
user177523's user avatar
9 votes
5 answers
13k views

Get a point inside a polygon

I have a 2D polygon of arbitrary geometry. I need to find any point that is inside of that polygon. Taking the center won't work, because the polygon might not be convex. Is there a way to quickly ...
user10306's user avatar
  • 201
8 votes
2 answers
339 views

Angle subtended by the shortest segment that bisects the area of a convex polygon

Let $C$ be a convex polygon in the plane and let $s$ be the shortest line segment (I believe this is called a "chord") that divides the area of $C$ in half. What is the smallest angle that $s$ could ...
Tom Solberg's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
10k views

Subtract Rectangle from Polygon

I'm looking for an algorithm that will subtract a rectangle from a simple, concave polygon and return a remainder of polygons. If the rectangle encloses the polygon, the remainder is null. In most ...
Josh C.'s user avatar
  • 325
8 votes
2 answers
752 views

Are point sets of the same order type connected by continuous (order type)-preserving motion?

Given two general position point sets in $\mathbb{R}^2$ of the same size and order type, is it possible to continuously move the points of one set until they coincide with those of the other set in ...
Nima Hoda's user avatar
7 votes
4 answers
706 views

A quick algorithm for calculating the $\ell_1$-distance between two finite sets on the real line?

For two non-empty finite sets $A,B$ in the real line define the $\ell_1$-distance $d_1(A,B)$ between $A$ and $B$ as the smallest Lebesgue measure of a closed subset $\Gamma\subset \mathbb R$ such that ...
Taras Banakh's user avatar
  • 41.8k
7 votes
2 answers
1k views

Is a given point in the interior of the convex hull of a given finite collection of points?

Suppose I have the convex hull $P$ of a finite collection of points in $\mathbb{R}^d,$ and I want to see whether a point $p$ is contained in $P.$ This is a standard (some would say the standard linear ...
Igor Rivin's user avatar
  • 96.4k