Questions tagged [probabilistic-algorithms]

Questions about (typically randomized) algorithms that can produce no or an incorrect answer with a certain probability.

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
0 votes
0 answers
56 views

Hashing algorithm which minimizes distribution

Consider applications A1, A2 .. AN having properties P11, P12,... PN1, PN2.. Also consider buckets ...
aandis's user avatar
  • 101
3 votes
1 answer
72 views

Sizing a Cuckoo filter for a subset of elements

Question I am considering the use of Cuckoo filter for a business case. To simplify the explanation here is an analogy of my needs: There are over $n = 30 000$ first names that exists in the whole ...
braincoke's user avatar
  • 141
2 votes
1 answer
137 views

$k$-coloring in BPP, implies $k$-coloring in ZPP

Consider the next problem: $k$-COL: Given a graph $G=(V,E)$, does it have a valid $k$-coloring? I need to prove that if $k$-COL is in BPP, then it is also in ZPP. In other words, show that if there ...
Lecter's user avatar
  • 127
3 votes
1 answer
115 views

Is there a complexity class QPP?

The complexity class PP is not considered tractable, because the probability of success can get arbitrarily close to 50% from above as the problem instances get larger, so that (e.g. if this approach ...
tparker's user avatar
  • 984
2 votes
1 answer
32 views

Recover a matrix with minimum number of queries

Alice has a matrix $A \in \{0,1\}^{n \times m}$ such that the sum of each row is $1$. Bob tries to find the indices of the ones (he knows that the sum of each row is $1$). The type of questions Bob ...
Ernie's user avatar
  • 53
2 votes
1 answer
118 views

Probability of terminating in a state in a probabilistic algorithm

Suppose i have a circular array of $n$ elements. At time $t=0$ i am in position 0 of the array. The algorithm moves left or right with probability $p=1/2$ (since the array is circular when it moves ...
toploz's user avatar
  • 79
2 votes
1 answer
34 views

Demonstrating that probability for every possible result is uniform at the end of an algorithm

I have memory of $k$ elements that you can imagine being represented by an array. One by one, the array receives a value corresponding to the time index, for example at $t=1$ the value will be $1$. At ...
toploz's user avatar
  • 79
0 votes
0 answers
33 views

Chernoff Bounds (upper tail)

For the proof of Chernoff Bounds (upper tail) we suppose δ<2e−1 . Like in this paper ([see this link ]) 1. Can you tell me why ?
Aex's user avatar
  • 17
0 votes
0 answers
74 views

Prove an estimator

Consider an undirected graph $G=(V,E)$ representing the social network of friendship/trust between students. We would like to form teams of three students that know each other. The question is to ...
Aex's user avatar
  • 17
0 votes
0 answers
21 views

Find expectation and calculate Chernoff bound [duplicate]

We have a group of employees and their company will assign a prize to as many employees as possible by finding the ones probably better than the rest. The company assigned the same 2 tasks to every ...
Aex's user avatar
  • 17
3 votes
1 answer
367 views

Find expectation with Chernoff bound

We have a group of employees and their company will assign a prize to as many employees as possible by finding the ones probably better than the rest. The company assigned the same $2$ tasks to every ...
Alex's user avatar
  • 31
1 vote
1 answer
679 views

Derandomization of vertex cover algorithm

I have the following randomized-algorithm for the vertex cover problem. Let $B_0$ be the output set: Fix some order $e_1, e_2,...,e_m$ over all edges in the edge set E of G, and set $B_0=∅$. Add to ...
bruce_springsteen's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
117 views

Grover's algorithm on probabilistic classical machines

As a starting point for this question, I came across this question, which AIUI is citing a construction showing how to simulate quantum circuits with a $PP$ algorithm, i.e. implying quantum ...
redroid's user avatar
  • 133
1 vote
1 answer
31 views

Predicting the outcome of sporting events with multiplicative scoring

In the Olympic format for sport climbing, eight athletes compete in three rounds of climbing. Their final score is the multiplication of their rankings in each round. For example, an athlete who comes ...
biddlesby's user avatar
  • 123
6 votes
1 answer
121 views

Understanding simulated annealing information theoretically

So I recently rediscovered simulated annealing through a path that others seem to be well aware of. I was aware of Metropolis-Hastings as a sampling algorithm that creates a Markov-Chain whose ...
Jake's user avatar
  • 3,760
0 votes
0 answers
17 views

What is the probability that an expanding bipartite graph exists with the property, |V1|=|V2|?

I want to find a bound on the above problem, and show that a random graph has a positive probability of being an expanding bipartite with the property, |V1|=|V2|. I am not getting, where should I ...
Manika Sharma's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
469 views

Why an error probability of 1/3 in BPP?

BPP is defined as the class of polynomial-time random algorithms which have an error probability of at most 1/3. But why was 1/3 chosen? If we have an algorithm with some error probability less than ...
user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
60 views

Are there efficient probabilistic multiplication algorithms that use O(n log n) gates?

Recently Harvey and Hoeven published a paper proving that integer multiplication can be performed using at most O(n log n) operations. This algorithm is theoretically interesting, but in practice ...
Craig Gidney's user avatar
  • 5,772
1 vote
1 answer
55 views

Polysize bounded depth circuit for modified MAJORITY problem

I am trying to show the existence of a polynomial size, bounded depth monotone circuit on the inputs $(x_1,\ldots, x_n)$ that gives $1$ if $\sum x_i \geq n/2 + n/\log n$ and $0$ if $\sum x_i \leq n/2 -...
Slugger's user avatar
  • 161
1 vote
1 answer
359 views

Can BPP be bounded around any constant other than 1/2?

A language $L$ is in BPP if there exists a randomised TM such that it outputs a correct answer with probability at least $1/2+1/p(n)$ for some polynomial $p(n)$, where $n$ is the length of the input. ...
e_noether's user avatar
  • 1,249
2 votes
0 answers
135 views

Correctness of Karger's min-cut Algorithm

tl;dr in the analysis for Karger's min-cut, the probability of an edge being in the min-cut in the $j$th iteration, $\frac{k}{0.5k(n-j)}$, neglects the fact that all the edges between the two ...
user2268997's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
38 views

Construction of hash function with a given distribution

Two questions about the construction of a hash function: Let $U = \{u_1,...,u_n\}$ be a set of size $n$, and suppose that one is interested in a function $h\colon U \rightarrow [0,1]$ such that $h$ "...
SomeoneHAHA's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
42 views

PCP variant in P with non 0 randomness and polynomial proof

I am trying to show that a particular language $L$ in PCP(log,q) is also in P. The PCP protocol works as follows: log many random bits and checks at q positions in a polynomial length proof. The ...
Root's user avatar
  • 313
0 votes
1 answer
44 views

SVM with a priori information about class probabilities

Given are two 2-d sets, each with its own bivariate normal distribution. I need to build an SVM classifier. The a priori probabilities of each class corresponds to the size of its set (20/50 for the ...
Павел Захаров's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
73 views

Determine number of values less than mean in one pass through list

The problem statement is as follows: Can we determine precisely the number of elements less than the mean in a list $A$ of $n$ numbers in only one pass through the array (starting at $A_1$ and ...
ryan's user avatar
  • 4,391
1 vote
1 answer
41 views

Singleton in a simple SBM

I can't work out the solution to the following exercise: We have $2n$ vertices grouped in $2$ clusters of equal size. The probability of having an edge between $i$ and $j$ is $p$ if $i$ and $j$ are ...
Andrea's user avatar
  • 37
3 votes
1 answer
672 views

How does KMV (k minimum value) perform set intersection better than hyperloglog?

In this paper, the author seems to suggest that theta sketches(a variant of kmv) outperforms hyperloglog in cardinality estimation on the intersection of n way streams. ...
Jal's user avatar
  • 151
1 vote
0 answers
530 views

Perfect Completeness of AM protocols?

I understand the idea behind making a MA protocol perfectly complete. In a MA protocol, Merlin sends a proof $\pi$ which Arthur checks with his machine $V$ by plugging in some random bits $r$ such ...
Agnishom Chattopadhyay's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
882 views

Probabilistic r-way cut set algorithm

I am reading Probability and Computing, by Mitzenmacher and Upfal, and the exercise 1.24 asks for a generalized algorithm for finding the cut-set of a Graph. In this generalized version, instead of ...
Xaphanius's user avatar
  • 121
3 votes
0 answers
93 views

Is the definition of $\textbf{BPP}$ robust for doubly exponential small (or even smaller) error?

$\textbf{BPP}$ is usually defined in terms of probabilistic polynomial-time TMs which have an error probability of at most $\frac{1}{3}$. Furthermore, using the Chernoff bound it can be proven that ...
dkaeae's user avatar
  • 4,959
3 votes
1 answer
172 views

Small space hash functions that are weakly but not strongly universal

This is a follow up to this this question about weakly universal hash functions A family of hash functions $H_w$ is said to be weakly universal if for all $x \ne y$ : $$P_{h \in H_w}(h(x) = h(y)) \...
Simd's user avatar
  • 860
5 votes
1 answer
733 views

What is an example of a weakly universal hash function that is not pairwise independent?

A family of hash functions $H_w$ is said to be weakly universal if for all $x \ne y$ : $$P_{h \in H_w}(h(x) = h(y)) \leq 1/m$$ Here the function $h:U \rightarrow [m]$ is chosen uniformly from the ...
Simd's user avatar
  • 860
1 vote
0 answers
54 views

How to generate a random number in a given range with uniform probability [closed]

I have used programming languages which generate a random number in a given range. Let's say we have a range of 1 to 10 each number has the probability of 1/10 to get selected. What is the criteria ...
user4129542's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
35 views

Probability lower bound on a double cycle on two vertices in random cuckoo graph

I have read Chater 17. Balanced Allocations and Cuckoo Hashing in Mitzenmacher. Upfal. Probability and Computing: Randomization and Probabilistic Techniques in Algorithms and Data Analysis and got ...
rbtrht's user avatar
  • 285
3 votes
0 answers
92 views

Probability of a double cycle in cuckoo graph

I have read Chater 17. Balanced Allocations and Cuckoo Hashing in Mitzenmacher. Upfal. Probability and Computing: Randomization and Probabilistic Techniques in Algorithms and Data Analysis and got ...
rbtrht's user avatar
  • 285
2 votes
1 answer
296 views

Why 2 different edge min-cuts in an undirected multigraph must be completely disjoint?

For the proof of a maximum of (n 2) min-cuts in any n-vertex undirected multigraph using the random contraction algorithm, we need to know that no min-cut shares an edge with another different one. ...
Hemispherr's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
95 views

HyperLogLog leading zeros distribution

I'm reading this article. In particular I'm having some trouble trying to replicate the results of the first image in that article. For x=9, the graph says that the probability is 0.20 aprox. But ...
hashlog's user avatar
  • 21
4 votes
0 answers
101 views

Distribution of pointer keys in a Skip-list node

Suppose we have a list of $N$ keys where the distribution of keys follows $f(x)$. We construct a skip list over the keys. Now if I pick a key (e.g. 31 in the ...
Ali's user avatar
  • 121
1 vote
1 answer
118 views

Concentration bound for sum of dependent geometric random variable?

consider following persudocode: i=0 while(i< k): uniformly pick u,v in V if(uv in E): remove uv form E; i++; let $T$ be the number of ...
ShaoyuPei's user avatar
  • 153
2 votes
1 answer
192 views

Monte Carlo Algorithms : Are there any problems where two opposite Monte Carlo algorithms could solve it?

I started reading on Probabilistic algorithms and Monte-Carlo algorithms. Since a Monte-Carlo can only give a certain answer for either True or False, I was wondering if it's conceivable that for the ...
Robert's user avatar
  • 43
1 vote
2 answers
440 views

Randomly Choosing a N-Bit Prime

I've been studying some number theory, and I came across this problem: Lagrange’s prime number theorem states that as N increases, the number of primes less than $N$ is $Θ(N/ log(N))$. ...
Axioms's user avatar
  • 163
1 vote
0 answers
22 views

Extracting room voids in a house

I am looking to create a series of closed volumes that represent the empty voids made by rooms in a house. In order to do this, all I have is the raw geometry of all the elements that encapsulate ...
dangerousdave's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
59 views

Finding subset of integer summing up above threshold

Given an array $|A|=n$ of integers, and $m,k \in \mathbb{N}$, I want to find $m$ elements $a_{i_1},...,a_{i_m}$ of $A$ such that $\sum a_{ij} \geq k$ (repitions allowd), or determine that no such ...
SomeoneHAHA's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
37 views

Probabilistic linebreaking algorithm

I'm currently trying to implement this paper. Based on a bayesian network, the paper stays unclear about how to ultimately use it's content ("straightforward inference"). But after a lot of ...
user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
317 views

Is it possible to simulate a fair coin with a finite number of tossing of a biased one?

It is a classic problem to simulate a fair coin with a biased one. According to Fair Coin (wiki), John von Neumann gave the following procedure: Toss the coin twice. If the results match, start over,...
hengxin's user avatar
  • 9,431
4 votes
2 answers
136 views

Fast sampling from discrete space

Assume we are given a set $X = \{x_1,...,x_n \}$ of size $n$, and a probability distribution $P$ over $X$. I am interested in an algorithm $A$ which can sample from $X$ according to $P$, i.e. $\Pr(A=...
John T.L's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
612 views

SAT Solving + Turing Machines

I have a couple of questions based on how SAT solvers work. I understand that SAT solvers may employ any/all of the following techniques: Randomness Heuristics Backtracking SAT is just one example ...
Schmetterling's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
142 views

distinguishing two biased coins

I had a simple probability question: suppose we have two coins, coin 1 is heads with probability $= 10\epsilon$ and coin 2 is heads with probability $=\epsilon/10$. Given an unknown coin, how many ...
nameasguest's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
483 views

Given a RxC grid, how to generate N 2D points randomly such that no 3 points are collinear?

Context, I have a geometric algorithm that is sensitive to collinear points and receives as input a list of points in 2D generated randomly. Suppose that I have a Boolean function nonCollinear(x,y,z) ...
dpalma's user avatar
  • 265
3 votes
1 answer
62 views

Choosing a random edge with restrictions

Given a bipartite graph $G = (V, U, E)$ such that $|V| = |U| =2^n$, one wants to sample an edge from $G$, uniformly at random, with the following operations: 1. One can sample $u \in U$ w.p $\frac{1}{|...
Vladimir K's user avatar