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An optimal algorithm for large frequency moments using o(n1-2/κ) bits

  • Vladimir Braverman
  • , Jonathan Katzman
  • , Charles Seidell
  • , Gregory Vorsanger

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

27 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this paper, we provide the first optimal algorithm for the remaining open question from the seminal paper of Alon, Matias, and Szegedy: approximating large frequency moments. Given a stream D = {p1, p2, pm} of numbers from {1,n}, a frequency of i is defined as fi = |{j : pj = i}|. The κ-th frequency moment of D is defined as Fκ = ∑ni=1fiκ. We give an upper bound on the space required to find a κ-th frequency moment of O(n1-2/κ) bits that matches, up to a constant factor, the lower bound of [48] for constant ∈ and constant κ. Our algorithm makes a single pass over the stream and works for any constant1 κ > 3. It is based upon two major technical accomplishments: first, we provide an optimal algorithm for finding the heavy elements in a stream; and second, we provide a technique using Martingale Sketches which gives an optimal reduction of the large frequency moment problem to the all heavy elements problem. Additionally, this reduction works for any function g of the form ∑ni=1 g(fi) that requires sub-linear polynomial space, and it works in the more general turnstile model. As a result, we also provide a polylogarithmic improvement for frequency moments, frequency based functions, spatial data streams, and measuring independence of data sets.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationLeibniz International Proceedings in Informatics, LIPIcs
EditorsKlaus Jansen, Jose D. P. Rolim, Nikhil R. Devanur, Cristopher Moore
PublisherSchloss Dagstuhl- Leibniz-Zentrum fur Informatik GmbH, Dagstuhl Publishing
Pages531-544
Number of pages14
ISBN (Electronic)9783939897743
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Sep 2014
Externally publishedYes
Event17th International Workshop on Approximation Algorithms for Combinatorial Optimization Problems, APPROX 2014 and the 18th International Workshop on Randomization and Computation, RANDOM 2014 - Barcelona, Spain
Duration: 4 Sep 20146 Sep 2014

Publication series

NameLeibniz International Proceedings in Informatics, LIPIcs
Volume28
ISSN (Print)1868-8969

Conference

Conference17th International Workshop on Approximation Algorithms for Combinatorial Optimization Problems, APPROX 2014 and the 18th International Workshop on Randomization and Computation, RANDOM 2014
Country/TerritorySpain
CityBarcelona
Period4/09/146/09/14

Keywords

  • Frequency Moments
  • Heavy Hitters
  • Randomized Algorithms
  • Streaming Algorithms

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Software

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