745 research outputs found
On the approximability of robust spanning tree problems
In this paper the minimum spanning tree problem with uncertain edge costs is
discussed. In order to model the uncertainty a discrete scenario set is
specified and a robust framework is adopted to choose a solution. The min-max,
min-max regret and 2-stage min-max versions of the problem are discussed. The
complexity and approximability of all these problems are explored. It is proved
that the min-max and min-max regret versions with nonnegative edge costs are
hard to approximate within for any unless
the problems in NP have quasi-polynomial time algorithms. Similarly, the
2-stage min-max problem cannot be approximated within unless the
problems in NP have quasi-polynomial time algorithms. In this paper randomized
LP-based approximation algorithms with performance ratio of for
min-max and 2-stage min-max problems are also proposed
Approximability results for stable marriage problems with ties
We consider instances of the classical stable marriage problem in which persons may include ties in their preference lists. We show that, in such a setting, strong lower bounds hold for the approximability of each of the problems of finding an egalitarian, minimum regret and sex-equal stable matching. We also consider stable marriage instances in which persons may express unacceptable partners in addition to ties. In this setting, we prove that there are constants delta, delta' such that each of the problems of approximating a maximum and minimum cardinality stable matching within factors of delta, delta' (respectively) is NP-hard, under strong restrictions. We also give an approximation algorithm for both problems that has a performance guarantee expressible in terms of the number of lists with ties. This significantly improves on the best-known previous performance guarantee, for the case that the ties are sparse. Our results have applications to large-scale centralized matching schemes
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