An almost linear-time algorithm for the dense subset-sum problem

Zvi Galil, Oded Margalit

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper describes a new approach for solving a large subproblem of the subset-sum problem. It is useful for solving other NP-hard integer programming problems. The limits and potential of this approach are investigated. The approach yields an algorithm for solving the dense version of the subset-sum problem. It runs in time O(l log l), where l is the bound on the size of the elements. But for dense enough inputs and target numbers near the middle sum it runs in time O(m), where m is the number of elements. Consequently, it improves the previously best algorithms by at least one order of magnitude and sometimes by two. The algorithm yields a characterization of the set of subset sums as a collection of arithmetic progressions with the same difference. This characterization is derived by elementary number theoretic and algorithmic techniques. Such a characterization was first obtained by using analytic number theory and yielded inferior algorithms.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationAutomata, Languages and Programming - 18th International Colloquium, Proceedings
EditorsJavier Leach Albert, Mario Rodriguez Artalejo, Burkhard Monien
PublisherSpringer Verlag
Pages719-727
Number of pages9
ISBN (Print)9783540542339
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 1991
Externally publishedYes
Event18th International Colloqulum on Automata, Languages, and Programming, ICALP 1991 - Madrid, Spain
Duration: 8 Jul 199112 Jul 1991

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
Volume510 LNCS
ISSN (Print)0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)1611-3349

Conference

Conference18th International Colloqulum on Automata, Languages, and Programming, ICALP 1991
Country/TerritorySpain
CityMadrid
Period8/07/9112/07/91

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Theoretical Computer Science
  • General Computer Science

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