Computing the jth solution of a first-order query

Guillaume Bagan; Arnaud Durand; Etienne Grandjean; Frédéric Olive

RAIRO - Theoretical Informatics and Applications (2008)

  • Volume: 42, Issue: 1, page 147-164
  • ISSN: 0988-3754

Abstract

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We design algorithms of “optimal" data complexity for several natural problems about first-order queries on structures of bounded degree. For that purpose, we first introduce a framework to deal with logical or combinatorial problems R ⊂ I x O whose instances x ∈ I may admit of several solutions R(x) = {y ∈ O : (x,y) ∈ R}. One associates to such a problem several specific tasks: compute a random (for the uniform probability distribution) solution y ∈ R(x); enumerate without repetition each solution yj in some specific linear order y0 < y1 < ... < yn-1 where R(x) = {y0,...,yn-1}; compute the solution yj of rankj in the linear order <. Algorithms of “minimal" data complexity are presented for the following problems: given any first-order formula ϕ ( v ¯ ) and any structure S of bounded degree: (1) compute a random element of ϕ ( S ) = { a ¯ : ( S , a ¯ ) ⊧ ϕ ( v ¯ ) } ; (2) compute the jth element of ϕ ( S ) for some linear order of ϕ ( S ) ; (3) enumerate the elements of ϕ ( S ) in lexicographical order. More precisely, we prove that, for any fixed formula φ, the above problem (1) (resp. (2), (3)) can be computed within average constant time (resp. within constant time, with constant delay) after a linear (O(|S|)) precomputation. Our essential tool for deriving those complexity results is a normalization procedure of first-order formulas on bijective structures.

How to cite

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Bagan, Guillaume, et al. "Computing the jth solution of a first-order query ." RAIRO - Theoretical Informatics and Applications 42.1 (2008): 147-164. <http://eudml.org/doc/250274>.

@article{Bagan2008,
abstract = { We design algorithms of “optimal" data complexity for several natural problems about first-order queries on structures of bounded degree. For that purpose, we first introduce a framework to deal with logical or combinatorial problems R ⊂ I x O whose instances x ∈ I may admit of several solutions R(x) = \{y ∈ O : (x,y) ∈ R\}. One associates to such a problem several specific tasks: compute a random (for the uniform probability distribution) solution y ∈ R(x); enumerate without repetition each solution yj in some specific linear order y0 < y1 < ... < yn-1 where R(x) = \{y0,...,yn-1\}; compute the solution yj of rankj in the linear order <. Algorithms of “minimal" data complexity are presented for the following problems: given any first-order formula $\varphi(\bar\{v\})$ and any structure S of bounded degree: (1) compute a random element of $\varphi(S)=\\{\bar\{a\}: (S,\bar\{a\})\models\varphi(\bar\{v\})\\}$; (2) compute the jth element of $\varphi(S)$ for some linear order of $\varphi(S)$; (3) enumerate the elements of $\varphi(S)$ in lexicographical order. More precisely, we prove that, for any fixed formula φ, the above problem (1) (resp. (2), (3)) can be computed within average constant time (resp. within constant time, with constant delay) after a linear (O(|S|)) precomputation. Our essential tool for deriving those complexity results is a normalization procedure of first-order formulas on bijective structures. },
author = {Bagan, Guillaume, Durand, Arnaud, Grandjean, Etienne, Olive, Frédéric},
journal = {RAIRO - Theoretical Informatics and Applications},
keywords = {Complexity of enumeration; first-order queries; structures of bounded degree; linear time; constant time; constant delay},
language = {eng},
month = {1},
number = {1},
pages = {147-164},
publisher = {EDP Sciences},
title = {Computing the jth solution of a first-order query },
url = {http://eudml.org/doc/250274},
volume = {42},
year = {2008},
}

TY - JOUR
AU - Bagan, Guillaume
AU - Durand, Arnaud
AU - Grandjean, Etienne
AU - Olive, Frédéric
TI - Computing the jth solution of a first-order query
JO - RAIRO - Theoretical Informatics and Applications
DA - 2008/1//
PB - EDP Sciences
VL - 42
IS - 1
SP - 147
EP - 164
AB - We design algorithms of “optimal" data complexity for several natural problems about first-order queries on structures of bounded degree. For that purpose, we first introduce a framework to deal with logical or combinatorial problems R ⊂ I x O whose instances x ∈ I may admit of several solutions R(x) = {y ∈ O : (x,y) ∈ R}. One associates to such a problem several specific tasks: compute a random (for the uniform probability distribution) solution y ∈ R(x); enumerate without repetition each solution yj in some specific linear order y0 < y1 < ... < yn-1 where R(x) = {y0,...,yn-1}; compute the solution yj of rankj in the linear order <. Algorithms of “minimal" data complexity are presented for the following problems: given any first-order formula $\varphi(\bar{v})$ and any structure S of bounded degree: (1) compute a random element of $\varphi(S)=\{\bar{a}: (S,\bar{a})\models\varphi(\bar{v})\}$; (2) compute the jth element of $\varphi(S)$ for some linear order of $\varphi(S)$; (3) enumerate the elements of $\varphi(S)$ in lexicographical order. More precisely, we prove that, for any fixed formula φ, the above problem (1) (resp. (2), (3)) can be computed within average constant time (resp. within constant time, with constant delay) after a linear (O(|S|)) precomputation. Our essential tool for deriving those complexity results is a normalization procedure of first-order formulas on bijective structures.
LA - eng
KW - Complexity of enumeration; first-order queries; structures of bounded degree; linear time; constant time; constant delay
UR - http://eudml.org/doc/250274
ER -

References

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