20,915 research outputs found
Lower Bounds on Quantum Query Complexity
Shor's and Grover's famous quantum algorithms for factoring and searching
show that quantum computers can solve certain computational problems
significantly faster than any classical computer. We discuss here what quantum
computers_cannot_ do, and specifically how to prove limits on their
computational power. We cover the main known techniques for proving lower
bounds, and exemplify and compare the methods.Comment: survey, 23 page
Query Learning with Exponential Query Costs
In query learning, the goal is to identify an unknown object while minimizing
the number of "yes" or "no" questions (queries) posed about that object. A
well-studied algorithm for query learning is known as generalized binary search
(GBS). We show that GBS is a greedy algorithm to optimize the expected number
of queries needed to identify the unknown object. We also generalize GBS in two
ways. First, we consider the case where the cost of querying grows
exponentially in the number of queries and the goal is to minimize the expected
exponential cost. Then, we consider the case where the objects are partitioned
into groups, and the objective is to identify only the group to which the
object belongs. We derive algorithms to address these issues in a common,
information-theoretic framework. In particular, we present an exact formula for
the objective function in each case involving Shannon or Renyi entropy, and
develop a greedy algorithm for minimizing it. Our algorithms are demonstrated
on two applications of query learning, active learning and emergency response.Comment: 15 page
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