Chapter 16. Worst-Case Upper Bounds

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evgeny Dantsin ◽  
Edward A. Hirsch
Keyword(s):  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Upper Bounds ◽  
Worst Case ◽  
Exponential Time ◽  
Running Time ◽  
Dichotomy Theorem ◽  
Exponential Time Hypothesis ◽  
Satisfiability Algorithms

The chapter is a survey of ideas and techniques behind satisfiability algorithms with the currently best asymptotic upper bounds on the worst-case running time. The survey also includes related structural-complexity topics such as Schaefer’s dichotomy theorem, reductions between various restricted cases of SAT, the exponential time hypothesis, etc.

scholarly journals The Complexity of Malign Ensembles

1990 ◽  
Vol 19 (335) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Bro Miltersen
Keyword(s):  
Polynomial Time ◽  
Upper Bounds ◽  
Lower And Upper Bounds ◽  
Worst Case ◽  
Average Case ◽  
Exponential Time ◽  
Running Time ◽  
Exponential Time Algorithms

We analyze the concept of <em> malignness</em>, which is the property of probability ensembles of making the average case running time equal to the worst case running time for a class of algorithms. We derive lower and upper bounds on the complexity of malign ensembles, which are tight for exponential time algorithms, and which show that no polynomial time computable malign ensemble exists for the class of superlinear algorithms. Furthermore, we show that for no class of superlinear algorithms a polynomial time computable malign ensemble exists, unless every language in P has an expected polynomial time constructor.

scholarly journals Results on a Super Strong Exponential Time Hypothesis

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (09) ◽  
pp. 13700-13703
Author(s):  
Nikhil Vyas ◽  
Ryan Williams
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Algorithm ◽  
Time Algorithm ◽  
Critical Threshold ◽  
Polynomial Method ◽  
Variable Ratio ◽  
Sat Solving ◽  
Worst Case ◽  
Exponential Time ◽  
Exponential Time Hypothesis ◽  
Special Case

All known SAT-solving paradigms (backtracking, local search, and the polynomial method) only yield a 2n(1−1/O(k)) time algorithm for solving k-SAT in the worst case, where the big-O constant is independent of k. For this reason, it has been hypothesized that k-SAT cannot be solved in worst-case 2n(1−f(k)/k) time, for any unbounded ƒ : ℕ → ℕ. This hypothesis has been called the “Super-Strong Exponential Time Hypothesis” (Super Strong ETH), modeled after the ETH and the Strong ETH. We prove two results concerning the Super-Strong ETH:1. It has also been hypothesized that k-SAT is hard to solve for randomly chosen instances near the “critical threshold”, where the clause-to-variable ratio is 2k ln 2 −Θ(1). We give a randomized algorithm which refutes the Super-Strong ETH for the case of random k-SAT and planted k-SAT for any clause-to-variable ratio. In particular, given any random k-SAT instance F with n variables and m clauses, our algorithm decides satisfiability for F in 2n(1−Ω( log k)/k) time, with high probability (over the choice of the formula and the randomness of the algorithm). It turns out that a well-known algorithm from the literature on SAT algorithms does the job: the PPZ algorithm of Paturi, Pudlak, and Zane (1998).2. The Unique k-SAT problem is the special case where there is at most one satisfying assignment. It is natural to hypothesize that the worst-case (exponential-time) complexity of Unique k-SAT is substantially less than that of k-SAT. Improving prior reductions, we show the time complexities of Unique k-SAT and k-SAT are very tightly related: if Unique k-SAT is in 2n(1−f(k)/k) time for an unbounded f, then k-SAT is in 2n(1−f(k)(1−ɛ)/k) time for every ɛ > 0. Thus, refuting Super Strong ETH in the unique solution case would refute Super Strong ETH in general.

scholarly journals Approximation and Parameterized Complexity of Minimax Approval Voting

2018 ◽  
Vol 63 ◽  
pp. 495-513
Author(s):  
Marek Cygan ◽  
Łukasz Kowalik ◽  
Arkadiusz Socała ◽  
Krzysztof Sornat
Keyword(s):  
Polynomial Time ◽  
Parameterized Complexity ◽  
Approximation Scheme ◽  
Hamming Distance ◽  
Approval Voting ◽  
Exponential Time ◽  
Running Time ◽  
Exponential Time Hypothesis

We present three results on the complexity of Minimax Approval Voting. First, we study Minimax Approval Voting parameterized by the Hamming distance d from the solution to the votes. We show Minimax Approval Voting admits no algorithm running in time O*(2o(d log d)), unless the Exponential Time Hypothesis (ETH) fails. This means that the O*(d2d) algorithm of Misra, Nabeel and Singh is essentially optimal. Motivated by this, we then show a parameterized approximation scheme, running in time O*((3/ε)2d), which is essentially tight assuming ETH. Finally, we get a new polynomial-time randomized approximation scheme for Minimax Approval Voting, which runs in time nO(1/ε2⋅log(1/ε))⋅poly(m), where n is a number of voters and m is a number of alternatives. It almost matches the running time of the fastest known PTAS for Closest String due to Ma and Sun.

An ExpTime Upper Bound for ALC with Integers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadia Labai ◽  
Magdalena Ortiz ◽  
Mantas Šimkus
Keyword(s):  
Upper Bound ◽  
Description Logics ◽  
Upper Bounds ◽  
Worst Case ◽  
Exponential Time ◽  
Functional Roles ◽  
Case Complexity ◽  
Worst Case Complexity ◽  
Concrete Domains ◽  
Single Exponential

Concrete domains, especially those that allow to compare features with numeric values, have long been recognized as a very desirable extension of description logics (DLs), and significant efforts have been invested into adding them to usual DLs while keeping the complexity of reasoning in check. For expressive DLs and in the presence of general TBoxes, for standard reasoning tasks like consistency, the most general decidability results are for the so-called ω-admissible domains, which are required to be dense. Supporting non-dense domains for features that range over integers or natural numbers remained largely open, despite often being singled out as a highly desirable extension. The decidability of some extensions of ALC with non-dense domains has been shown, but existing results rely on powerful machinery that does not allow to infer any elementary bounds on the complexity of the problem. In this paper, we study an extension of ALC with a rich integer domain that allows for comparisons (between features, and between features and constants coded in unary), and prove that consistency can be solved using automata-theoretic techniques in single exponential time, and thus has no higher worst-case complexity than standard ALC. Our upper bounds apply to some extensions of DLs with concrete domains known from the literature, support general TBoxes, and allow for comparing values along paths of ordinary (not necessarily functional) roles.

scholarly journals Matching Cut in Graphs with Large Minimum Degree

Algorithmica ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chi-Yeh Chen ◽  
Sun-Yuan Hsieh ◽  
Hoang-Oanh Le ◽  
Van Bang Le ◽  
Sheng-Lung Peng
Keyword(s):  
Polynomial Time ◽  
Minimum Degree ◽  
Positive Root ◽  
Time Algorithm ◽  
Bipartite Graphs ◽  
Exponential Time ◽  
Running Time ◽  
Subexponential Time ◽  
Exponential Time Hypothesis ◽  
Exponential Time Algorithm

AbstractIn a graph, a matching cut is an edge cut that is a matching. Matching Cut is the problem of deciding whether or not a given graph has a matching cut, which is known to be $${\mathsf {NP}}$$ NP -complete. While Matching Cut is trivial for graphs with minimum degree at most one, it is $${\mathsf {NP}}$$ NP -complete on graphs with minimum degree two. In this paper, we show that, for any given constant $$c>1$$ c > 1 , Matching Cut is $${\mathsf {NP}}$$ NP -complete in the class of graphs with minimum degree c and this restriction of Matching Cut has no subexponential-time algorithm in the number of vertices unless the Exponential-Time Hypothesis fails. We also show that, for any given constant $$\epsilon >0$$ ϵ > 0 , Matching Cut remains $${\mathsf {NP}}$$ NP -complete in the class of n-vertex (bipartite) graphs with unbounded minimum degree $$\delta >n^{1-\epsilon }$$ δ > n 1 - ϵ . We give an exact branching algorithm to solve Matching Cut for graphs with minimum degree $$\delta \ge 3$$ δ ≥ 3 in $$O^*(\lambda ^n)$$ O ∗ ( λ n ) time, where $$\lambda$$ λ is the positive root of the polynomial $$x^{\delta +1}-x^{\delta }-1$$ x δ + 1 - x δ - 1 . Despite the hardness results, this is a very fast exact exponential-time algorithm for Matching Cut on graphs with large minimum degree; for instance, the running time is $$O^*(1.0099^n)$$ O ∗ ( 1 . 0099 n ) on graphs with minimum degree $$\delta \ge 469$$ δ ≥ 469 . Complementing our hardness results, we show that, for any two fixed constants $$1< c <4$$ 1 < c < 4 and $$c^{\prime }\ge 0$$ c ′ ≥ 0 , Matching Cut is solvable in polynomial time for graphs with large minimum degree $$\delta \ge \frac{1}{c}n-c^{\prime }$$ δ ≥ 1 c n - c ′ .

scholarly journals Improved Strong Worst-case Upper Bounds for MDP Planning

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anchit Gupta ◽  
Shivaram Kalyanakrishnan
Keyword(s):  
Upper Bound ◽  
General Setting ◽  
Upper Bounds ◽  
Policy Iteration ◽  
Sequential Decision ◽  
Markov Decision Problem ◽  
Worst Case ◽  
Running Time ◽  
Markov Decision ◽  
Special Case

The Markov Decision Problem (MDP) plays a central role in AI as an abstraction of sequential decision making. We contribute to the theoretical analysis of MDP PLANNING, which is the problem of computing an optimal policy for a given MDP. Specifically, we furnish improved STRONG WORST-CASE upper bounds on the running time of MDP planning. Strong bounds are those that depend only on the number of states n and the number of actions k in the specified MDP; they have no dependence on affiliated variables such as the discount factor and the number of bits needed to represent the MDP. Worst-case bounds apply to EVERY run of an algorithm; randomised algorithms can typically yield faster EXPECTED running times. While the special case of 2-action MDPs (that is, k = 2) has recently received some attention, bounds for general k have remained to be improved for several decades. Our contributions are to this general case. For k >= 3, the tightest strong upper bound shown to date for MDP planning belongs to a family of algorithms called Policy Iteration. This bound is only a polynomial improvement over a trivial bound of poly(n, k) k^{n} [Mansour and Singh, 1999]. In this paper, we generalise a contrasting algorithm called the Fibonacci Seesaw, and derive a bound of poly(n, k) k^{0.6834n}. The key construct we use is a template to map algorithms for the 2-action setting to the general setting. Interestingly, this idea can also be used to design Policy Iteration algorithms with a running time upper bound of poly(n, k) k^{0.7207n}. Both our results improve upon bounds that have stood for several decades.

scholarly journals Discrete Fréchet Distance under Translation

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-42
Author(s):  
Karl Bringmann ◽  
Marvin KüNnemann ◽  
André Nusser
Keyword(s):  
Grid Graph ◽  
Fréchet Distance ◽  
Worst Case ◽  
Grid Graphs ◽  
Exponential Time ◽  
Running Time ◽  
Frechet Distance ◽  
Spatial Domains ◽  
Polygonal Curves ◽  
Important Variant

The discrete Fréchet distance is a popular measure for comparing polygonal curves. An important variant is the discrete Fréchet distance under translation, which enables detection of similar movement patterns in different spatial domains. For polygonal curves of length n in the plane, the fastest known algorithm runs in time Õ( n 5 ) [12]. This is achieved by constructing an arrangement of disks of size Õ( n 4 ), and then traversing its faces while updating reachability in a directed grid graph of size N := Õ( n 5 ), which can be done in time Õ(√ N ) per update [27]. The contribution of this article is two-fold. First, although it is an open problem to solve dynamic reachability in directed grid graphs faster than Õ(√ N ), we improve this part of the algorithm: We observe that an offline variant of dynamic s - t -reachability in directed grid graphs suffices, and we solve this variant in amortized time Õ( N 1/3 ) per update, resulting in an improved running time of Õ( N 4.66 ) for the discrete Fréchet distance under translation. Second, we provide evidence that constructing the arrangement of size Õ( N 4 ) is necessary in the worst case by proving a conditional lower bound of n 4 - o(1) on the running time for the discrete Fréchet distance under translation, assuming the Strong Exponential Time Hypothesis.

scholarly journals Interregional Transfers for Pandemic Surges

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth A Michelson ◽  
Chris A Rees ◽  
Jayshree Sarathy ◽  
Paige VonAchen ◽  
Michael Wornow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
The United States ◽  
Upper Bounds ◽  
Hospital Inpatient ◽  
Worst Case ◽  
Icu Patients ◽  
Interregional Transfers ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Bed Capacity ◽  
Model Scenarios ◽  
Do So

Abstract Background Hospital inpatient and intensive care unit (ICU) bed shortfalls may arise due to regional surges in volume. We sought to determine how interregional transfers could alleviate bed shortfalls during a pandemic. Methods We used estimates of past and projected inpatient and ICU cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from 4 February 2020 to 1 October 2020. For regions with bed shortfalls (where the number of patients exceeded bed capacity), transfers to the nearest region with unused beds were simulated using an algorithm that minimized total interregional transfer distances across the United States. Model scenarios used a range of predicted COVID-19 volumes (lower, mean, and upper bounds) and non–COVID-19 volumes (20%, 50%, or 80% of baseline hospital volumes). Scenarios were created for each day of data, and worst-case scenarios were created treating all regions’ peak volumes as simultaneous. Mean per-patient transfer distances were calculated by scenario. Results For the worst-case scenarios, national bed shortfalls ranged from 669 to 58 562 inpatient beds and 3208 to 31 190 ICU beds, depending on model volume parameters. Mean transfer distances to alleviate daily bed shortfalls ranged from 23 to 352 miles for inpatient and 28 to 423 miles for ICU patients, depending on volume. Under all worst-case scenarios except the highest-volume ICU scenario, interregional transfers could fully resolve bed shortfalls. To do so, mean transfer distances would be 24 to 405 miles for inpatients and 73 to 476 miles for ICU patients. Conclusions Interregional transfers could mitigate regional bed shortfalls during pandemic hospital surges.

scholarly journals Finding Points in General Position

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (04) ◽  
pp. 277-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent Froese ◽  
Iyad Kanj ◽  
André Nichterlein ◽  
Rolf Niedermeier
Keyword(s):  
Lower Bound ◽  
General Position ◽  
Subset Selection ◽  
Selection Problem ◽  
Fixed Parameter Tractability ◽  
Maximum Cardinality ◽  
Exponential Time ◽  
Running Time ◽  
Fixed Parameter ◽  
Set Of Points

We study the General Position Subset Selection problem: Given a set of points in the plane, find a maximum-cardinality subset of points in general position. We prove that General Position Subset Selection is NP-hard, APX-hard, and present several fixed-parameter tractability results for the problem as well as a subexponential running time lower bound based on the Exponential Time Hypothesis.

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