Mediaspace scheduled maintenance: Aug 25, 2026 07:00 - 12:00 AM. During this time, videos will be temporarily unavailable. Check status updates.

Lecture

Approximation Algorithms

In course

CS-450: Algorithms II

A first graduate course in algorithms, this course assumes minimal background, but moves rapidly. The objective is to learn the main techniques of algorithm analysis and design, while building a repertory of basic algorithmic solutions to problems in many ...

Description

This lecture, taught by the instructor, covers approximation algorithms for optimization problems, focusing on vertex cover. The content includes definitions, algorithm design, complexity analysis, and LP relaxation. The lecture explores the concept of integrality gap and provides insights into the process of solving optimization problems using randomized rounding techniques.

Instructors (3)

Ola Nils Anders Svensson

Alessandro Chiesa

Alessandro Chiesa is a faculty member in computer science. He conducts research in complexity theory, cryptography, and security, with a focus on the theoretical foundations and practical implementations of cryptographic proofs that are short and easy to verify. He is a co-author of several zkSNARK libraries, and is a co-inventor of the Zerocash protocol. He has co-founded Zcash and StarkWare Industries. He is a recipient of a Sloan Research Fellowship (2021), an Okawa Foundation Research Grant (2020), and Google Faculty Research Awards (2018 and 2017). He was included in MIT Technology Review's "35 Innovators Under 35" list in 2018.

Mikhail Kapralov

Official source

Ontological neighbourhood

Mathematics

Discrete mathematics: Graph theory

Mathematical logic: Set theory

Theoretical computer science

Algorithms and data structures: Combinatorial optimization

Related concepts (32)

Linear programming relaxation

In mathematics, the relaxation of a (mixed) integer linear program is the problem that arises by removing the integrality constraint of each variable. For example, in a 0–1 integer program, all constraints are of the form The relaxation of the original integer program instead uses a collection of linear constraints The resulting relaxation is a linear program, hence the name.

Integer programming

An integer programming problem is a mathematical optimization or feasibility program in which some or all of the variables are restricted to be integers. In many settings the term refers to integer linear programming (ILP), in which the objective function and the constraints (other than the integer constraints) are linear. Integer programming is NP-complete. In particular, the special case of 0-1 integer linear programming, in which unknowns are binary, and only the restrictions must be satisfied, is one of Karp's 21 NP-complete problems.

Linear programming

Linear programming (LP), also called linear optimization, is a method to achieve the best outcome (such as maximum profit or lowest cost) in a mathematical model whose requirements are represented by linear relationships. Linear programming is a special case of mathematical programming (also known as mathematical optimization). More formally, linear programming is a technique for the optimization of a linear objective function, subject to linear equality and linear inequality constraints.

Vertex cover

In graph theory, a vertex cover (sometimes node cover) of a graph is a set of vertices that includes at least one endpoint of every edge of the graph. In computer science, the problem of finding a minimum vertex cover is a classical optimization problem. It is NP-hard, so it cannot be solved by a polynomial-time algorithm if P ≠ NP. Moreover, it is hard to approximate – it cannot be approximated up to a factor smaller than 2 if the unique games conjecture is true. On the other hand, it has several simple 2-factor approximations.

Branch and cut

Branch and cut is a method of combinatorial optimization for solving integer linear programs (ILPs), that is, linear programming (LP) problems where some or all the unknowns are restricted to integer values. Branch and cut involves running a branch and bound algorithm and using cutting planes to tighten the linear programming relaxations. Note that if cuts are only used to tighten the initial LP relaxation, the algorithm is called cut and branch. This description assumes the ILP is a maximization problem.

Related lectures (38)

Set Cover: Integrality Gap

Explores the integrality gap concept in set cover and multiplicative weights algorithms.

Optimization Methods: Theory Discussion

Explores optimization methods, including unconstrained problems, linear programming, and heuristic approaches.

Linear Programming: Weighted Bipartite Matching

Covers linear programming, weighted bipartite matching, and vertex cover problems in optimization.

Cartesian Product and Induction

Introduces Cartesian product and induction for proofs using integers and sets.

Optimisation in Energy Systems