845 research outputs found
Quasi-polynomial Hitting-set for Set-depth-Delta Formulas
We call a depth-4 formula C set-depth-4 if there exists a (unknown) partition
(X_1,...,X_d) of the variable indices [n] that the top product layer respects,
i.e. C(x) = \sum_{i=1}^k \prod_{j=1}^{d} f_{i,j}(x_{X_j}), where f_{i,j} is a
sparse polynomial in F[x_{X_j}]. Extending this definition to any depth - we
call a depth-Delta formula C (consisting of alternating layers of Sigma and Pi
gates, with a Sigma-gate on top) a set-depth-Delta formula if every Pi-layer in
C respects a (unknown) partition on the variables; if Delta is even then the
product gates of the bottom-most Pi-layer are allowed to compute arbitrary
monomials.
In this work, we give a hitting-set generator for set-depth-Delta formulas
(over any field) with running time polynomial in exp(({Delta}^2 log s)^{Delta -
1}), where s is the size bound on the input set-depth-Delta formula. In other
words, we give a quasi-polynomial time blackbox polynomial identity test for
such constant-depth formulas. Previously, the very special case of Delta=3
(also known as set-multilinear depth-3 circuits) had no known sub-exponential
time hitting-set generator. This was declared as an open problem by Shpilka &
Yehudayoff (FnT-TCS 2010); the model being first studied by Nisan & Wigderson
(FOCS 1995). Our work settles this question, not only for depth-3 but, up to
depth epsilon.log s / loglog s, for a fixed constant epsilon < 1.
The technique is to investigate depth-Delta formulas via depth-(Delta-1)
formulas over a Hadamard algebra, after applying a `shift' on the variables. We
propose a new algebraic conjecture about the low-support rank-concentration in
the latter formulas, and manage to prove it in the case of set-depth-Delta
formulas.Comment: 22 page
Blackbox identity testing for bounded top fanin depth-3 circuits: the field doesn't matter
Let C be a depth-3 circuit with n variables, degree d and top fanin k (called
sps(k,d,n) circuits) over base field F. It is a major open problem to design a
deterministic polynomial time blackbox algorithm that tests if C is identically
zero. Klivans & Spielman (STOC 2001) observed that the problem is open even
when k is a constant. This case has been subjected to a serious study over the
past few years, starting from the work of Dvir & Shpilka (STOC 2005).
We give the first polynomial time blackbox algorithm for this problem. Our
algorithm runs in time poly(nd^k), regardless of the base field. The only field
for which polynomial time algorithms were previously known is F=Q (Kayal &
Saraf, FOCS 2009, and Saxena & Seshadhri, FOCS 2010). This is the first
blackbox algorithm for depth-3 circuits that does not use the rank based
approaches of Karnin & Shpilka (CCC 2008).
We prove an important tool for the study of depth-3 identities. We design a
blackbox polynomial time transformation that reduces the number of variables in
a sps(k,d,n) circuit to k variables, but preserves the identity structure.Comment: 14 pages, 1 figure, preliminary versio
Sums of products of polynomials in few variables : lower bounds and polynomial identity testing
We study the complexity of representing polynomials as a sum of products of
polynomials in few variables. More precisely, we study representations of the
form such that each is
an arbitrary polynomial that depends on at most variables. We prove the
following results.
1. Over fields of characteristic zero, for every constant such that , we give an explicit family of polynomials , where
is of degree in variables, such that any
representation of the above type for with requires . This strengthens a recent result of Kayal and Saha
[KS14a] which showed similar lower bounds for the model of sums of products of
linear forms in few variables. It is known that any asymptotic improvement in
the exponent of the lower bounds (even for ) would separate VP
and VNP[KS14a].
2. We obtain a deterministic subexponential time blackbox polynomial identity
testing (PIT) algorithm for circuits computed by the above model when and
the individual degree of each variable in are at most and
for any constant . We get quasipolynomial running
time when . The PIT algorithm is obtained by combining our
lower bounds with the hardness-randomness tradeoffs developed in [DSY09, KI04].
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first nontrivial PIT algorithm for
this model (even for the case ), and the first nontrivial PIT algorithm
obtained from lower bounds for small depth circuits
Subexponential Size Hitting Sets for Bounded Depth Multilinear Formulas
In this paper we give subexponential size hitting sets for bounded depth multilinear arithmetic formulas. Using the known relation
between black-box PIT and lower bounds we obtain lower bounds for these models.
For depth-3 multilinear formulas, of size exp(n^delta), we give a hitting set of size exp(~O(n^(2/3 + 2*delta/3))). This implies a lower bound of exp(~Omega(n^(1/2))) for depth-3 multilinear formulas, for some explicit polynomial.
For depth-4 multilinear formulas, of size exp(n^delta), we give a hitting set of size exp(~O(n^(2/3 + 4*delta/3)). This implies a lower bound of exp(~Omega(n^(1/4))) for depth-4 multilinear formulas, for some explicit polynomial.
A regular formula consists of alternating layers of +,* gates, where all gates at layer i have the same fan-in. We give a
hitting set of size (roughly) exp(n^(1-delta)), for regular depth-d multilinear formulas of size exp(n^delta), where delta = O(1/sqrt(5)^d)). This result implies a lower bound of roughly exp(~Omega(n^(1/sqrt(5)^d))) for such formulas.
We note that better lower bounds are known for these models, but also that none of these bounds was achieved via construction of
a hitting set. Moreover, no lower bound that implies such PIT results, even in the white-box model, is currently known.
Our results are combinatorial in nature and rely on reducing the underlying formula, first to a depth-4 formula, and then to a
read-once algebraic branching program (from depth-3 formulas we go straight to read-once algebraic branching programs)
Complete Derandomization of Identity Testing and Reconstruction of Read-Once Formulas
In this paper we study the identity testing problem of arithmetic read-once formulas (ROF) and some related models. A read-once formula is formula (a circuit whose underlying graph is a tree) in which the operations are {+,x} and such that every input variable labels at most one leaf. We obtain the first polynomial-time deterministic identity testing algorithm that operates in the black-box setting for read-once formulas, as well as some other related models. As an application, we obtain the first polynomial-time deterministic reconstruction algorithm for such formulas. Our results are obtained by improving and extending the analysis of the algorithm of [Shpilka-Volkovich, 2015
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