The expected number of extreme points of a random linear program

There has been increasing attention recently on average case algorithmic performance measures since worst case measures can be qualitatively quite different. An important characteristic of a linear program, relating to Simplex Method performance, is the number of vertices of the feasible region. We show 2 n to be an upper bound on the mean number of extreme points of a randomly generated feasible region with arbitrary probability distributions on the constraint matrix and right hand side vector. The only assumption made is that inequality directions are chosen independently in accordance with a series of independent fair coin tosses.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47914/1/10107_2005_Article_BF01580643.pd

A simplex algorithm whose average number of steps is bounded between two quadratic functions of the smaller dimension

It has been a challenge for mathematicians to confirm theoretically the extremely good performance of simplex-type algorithms for linear programming. In this paper the average number of steps performed by a simplex algorithm, the so-called self-dual method, is analyzed. The algorithm is not started at the traditional point (1,..., but points of the form (1, e, e2,...)T, with t sufficiently small, are used. The result is better, in two respects, than those of the previous analyses. First, it is shown that the expected number of steps is bounded between two quadratic functions cl(min(m, n))' and cz(min(m, n)) ' of the smaller dimension of the problem. This should be compared with the previous two major results in the field. Borgwardt proves an upper bound of 0(n4m1'(n-1') under a model that implies that the zero vector satisfies all the constraints, and also the algorithm under his consideration solves only problems from that particular subclass. Smale analyzes the self-dual algorithm starting at (1,..., He shows that for any fixed m there is a constant c(m) such the expected number of steps is less than ~(m)(lnn)"'("+~); Megiddo has shown that, under Smale's model, an upper bound C(m) exists. Thus, for the first time, a polynomial upper bound with no restrictions (except for nondegeneracy) on the problem is proved, and, for the first time, a nontrivial lower bound of precisely the same order of magnitude is established. Both Borgwardt and Smale require the input vectors to be drawn fro

Introducing Interior-Point Methods for Introductory Operations Research Courses and/or Linear Programming Courses

In recent years the introduction and development of Interior-Point Methods has had a profound impact on optimization theory as well as practice, influencing the field of Operations Research and related areas. Development of these methods has quickly led to the design of new and efficient optimization codes particularly for Linear Programming. Consequently, there has been an increasing need to introduce theory and methods of this new area in optimization into the appropriate undergraduate and first year graduate courses such as introductory Operations Research and/or Linear Programming courses, Industrial Engineering courses and Math Modeling courses. The objective of this paper is to discuss the ways of simplifying the introduction of Interior-Point Methods for students who have various backgrounds or who are not necessarily mathematics majors

Criss-cross methods: A fresh view on pivot algorithms

Criss-cross methods are pivot algorithms that solve linear programming problems in one phase starting with any basic solution. The first finite criss-cross method was invented by Chang, Terlaky and Wang independently. Unlike the simplex method that follows a monotonic edge path on the feasible region, the trace of a criss-cross method is neither monotonic (with respect to the objective function) nor feasibility preserving. The main purpose of this paper is to present mathematical ideas and proof techniques behind finite criss-cross pivot methods. A recent result on the existence of a short admissible pivot path to an optimal basis is given, indicating shortest pivot paths from any basis might be indeed short for criss-cross type algorithms. The origins and the history of criss-cross methods are also touched upo