55 research outputs found
Separating decision tree complexity from subcube partition complexity
The subcube partition model of computation is at least as powerful as
decision trees but no separation between these models was known. We show that
there exists a function whose deterministic subcube partition complexity is
asymptotically smaller than its randomized decision tree complexity, resolving
an open problem of Friedgut, Kahn, and Wigderson (2002). Our lower bound is
based on the information-theoretic techniques first introduced to lower bound
the randomized decision tree complexity of the recursive majority function.
We also show that the public-coin partition bound, the best known lower bound
method for randomized decision tree complexity subsuming other general
techniques such as block sensitivity, approximate degree, randomized
certificate complexity, and the classical adversary bound, also lower bounds
randomized subcube partition complexity. This shows that all these lower bound
techniques cannot prove optimal lower bounds for randomized decision tree
complexity, which answers an open question of Jain and Klauck (2010) and Jain,
Lee, and Vishnoi (2014).Comment: 16 pages, 1 figur
Low-Sensitivity Functions from Unambiguous Certificates
We provide new query complexity separations against sensitivity for total
Boolean functions: a power separation between deterministic (and even
randomized or quantum) query complexity and sensitivity, and a power
separation between certificate complexity and sensitivity. We get these
separations by using a new connection between sensitivity and a seemingly
unrelated measure called one-sided unambiguous certificate complexity
(). We also show that is lower-bounded by fractional block
sensitivity, which means we cannot use these techniques to get a
super-quadratic separation between and . We also provide a
quadratic separation between the tree-sensitivity and decision tree complexity
of Boolean functions, disproving a conjecture of Gopalan, Servedio, Tal, and
Wigderson (CCC 2016).
Along the way, we give a power separation between certificate
complexity and one-sided unambiguous certificate complexity, improving the
power separation due to G\"o\"os (FOCS 2015). As a consequence, we
obtain an improved lower-bound on the
co-nondeterministic communication complexity of the Clique vs. Independent Set
problem.Comment: 25 pages. This version expands the results and adds Pooya Hatami and
Avishay Tal as author
What Circuit Classes Can Be Learned with Non-Trivial Savings?
Despite decades of intensive research, efficient - or even sub-exponential time - distribution-free PAC learning algorithms are not known for many important Boolean function classes. In this work we suggest a new perspective on these learning problems, inspired by a surge of recent research in complexity theory, in which the goal is to determine whether and how much of a savings over a naive 2^n runtime can be achieved.
We establish a range of exploratory results towards this end. In more detail,
(1) We first observe that a simple approach building on known uniform-distribution learning results gives non-trivial distribution-free learning algorithms for several well-studied classes including AC0, arbitrary functions of a few linear threshold functions (LTFs), and AC0 augmented with mod_p gates.
(2) Next we present an approach, based on the method of random restrictions from circuit complexity, which can be used to obtain several distribution-free learning algorithms that do not appear to be achievable by approach (1) above. The results achieved in this way include learning algorithms with non-trivial savings for LTF-of-AC0 circuits and improved savings for learning parity-of-AC0 circuits.
(3) Finally, our third contribution is a generic technique for converting lower bounds proved using Neciporuk\u27s method to learning algorithms with non-trivial savings. This technique, which is the most involved of our three approaches, yields distribution-free learning algorithms for a range of classes where previously even non-trivial uniform-distribution learning algorithms were not known; these classes include full-basis formulas, branching programs, span programs, etc. up to some fixed polynomial size
Separations in Query Complexity Based on Pointer Functions
In 1986, Saks and Wigderson conjectured that the largest separation between
deterministic and zero-error randomized query complexity for a total boolean
function is given by the function on bits defined by a complete
binary tree of NAND gates of depth , which achieves . We show this is false by giving an example of a total
boolean function on bits whose deterministic query complexity is
while its zero-error randomized query complexity is . We further show that the quantum query complexity of the same
function is , giving the first example of a total function
with a super-quadratic gap between its quantum and deterministic query
complexities.
We also construct a total boolean function on variables that has
zero-error randomized query complexity and bounded-error
randomized query complexity . This is the first
super-linear separation between these two complexity measures. The exact
quantum query complexity of the same function is .
These two functions show that the relations and are optimal, up to poly-logarithmic factors. Further
variations of these functions give additional separations between other query
complexity measures: a cubic separation between and , a -power
separation between and , and a 4th power separation between
approximate degree and bounded-error randomized query complexity.
All of these examples are variants of a function recently introduced by
\goos, Pitassi, and Watson which they used to separate the unambiguous
1-certificate complexity from deterministic query complexity and to resolve the
famous Clique versus Independent Set problem in communication complexity.Comment: 25 pages, 6 figures. Version 3 improves separation between Q_E and
R_0 and updates reference
A Composition Theorem for Randomized Query Complexity via Max-Conflict Complexity
For any relation f subseteq {0,1}^n x S and any partial Boolean function g:{0,1}^m -> {0,1,*}, we show that R_{1/3}(f o g^n) in Omega(R_{4/9}(f) * sqrt{R_{1/3}(g)})where R_epsilon(*) stands for the bounded-error randomized query complexity with error at most epsilon, and f o g^n subseteq ({0,1}^m)^n x S denotes the composition of f with n instances of g.
The new composition theorem is optimal, at least, for the general case of relational problems: A relation f_0 and a partial Boolean function g_0 are constructed, such that R_{4/9}(f_0) in Theta(sqrt n), R_{1/3}(g_0)in Theta(n) and R_{1/3}(f_0 o g_0^n) in Theta(n).
The theorem is proved via introducing a new complexity measure, max-conflict complexity, denoted by bar{chi}(*). Its investigation shows that bar{chi}(g) in Omega(sqrt{R_{1/3}(g)}) for any partial Boolean function g and R_{1/3}(f o g^n) in Omega(R_{4/9}(f) * bar{chi}(g)) for any relation f, which readily implies the composition statement. It is further shown that bar{chi}(g) is always at least as large as the sabotage complexity of g
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