We prove that the Christofides algorithm gives a $\frac{4}{3}$ approximation ratio for the special case of traveling salesman problem (TSP) in which the maximum weight in the given graph is at most twice the minimum weight for the odd degree restricted graphs. A graph is odd degree restricted if the number of odd degree vertices in any minimum spanning tree of the given graph is less than $\frac{1}{4}$ times the number of vertices in the graph. We prove that the Christofides algorithm is more efficient (in terms...

The main objective of the polynomial approximation is the development of polynomial time algorithms for NP-hard problems, these algorithms guaranteeing feasible solutions lying “as near as possible” to the optimal ones. This work is the fist part of a couple of papers where we introduce the key-concepts of the polynomial approximation and present the main lines of a new formalism. Our purposes are, on the one hand, to present this theory and its objectives and, on the other hand, to discuss the...

Cet article est la suite de l’article «Autour de nouvelles notions pour l’analyse des algorithmes d’approximation : formalisme unifié et classes d’approximation» où nous avons présenté et discuté, dans le cadre d’un nouveau formalisme pour l’approximation polynomiale (algorithmique polynomiale à garanties de performances pour des problèmes NP-difficiles), des outils permettant d’évaluer, dans l’absolu, les proporiétés d’approximation de problèmes difficiles. Afin de répondre pleinement à l’objectif...

This paper is the continuation of the paper “Autour de nouvelles notions pour l'analyse des algorithmes d'approximation: Formalisme unifié et classes d'approximation” where a new formalism for polynomial approximation and its basic tools allowing an “absolute” (individual) evaluation the approximability properties of NP-hard problems have been presented and discussed. In order to be used for exhibiting a structure for the class NPO (the optimization problems of NP), these tools must be enriched...

Cet article est le premier d'une série de deux articles où nous présentons les principales caractéristiques d'un nouveau formalisme pour l'approximation polynomiale (algorithmique polynomiale à garanties de performances pour les problèmes NP-difficiles). Ce travail est l'occasion d'un regard critique sur ce domaine et de discussions sur la pertinence des notions usuelles. Il est aussi l'occasion de se familiariser avec l'approximation polynomiale, de comprendre ses enjeux et ses méthodes. Ces deux...

In this paper, we focus on some specific optimization problems from graph theory, those for which all feasible solutions have an equal size that depends on the instance size. Once having provided a formal definition of this class of problems, we try to extract some of its basic properties; most of these are deduced from the equivalence, under differential approximation, between two versions of a problem $\pi$ which only differ on a linear transformation of their objective functions. This is notably...

In this paper, we focus on some specific optimization problems from graph theory, those for which all feasible solutions have an equal size that depends on the instance size. Once having provided a formal definition of this class of problems, we try to extract some of its basic properties; most of these are deduced from the equivalence, under differential approximation, between two versions of a problem π which only differ on a linear transformation of their objective functions. This is notably...

The problem of minimizing the maximum edge congestion in a multicast communication network generalizes the well-known $NP$-hard multicommodity flow problem. We give the presently best theoretical approximation results as well as efficient implementations. In particular we show that for a network with $m$ edges and $k$ multicast requests, an $r(1+\epsilon )(rtextOPT+exp(1)lnm)$-approximation can be computed in $O(km{\epsilon }^{-2}lnklnm)$ time, where $\beta$ bounds the time for computing an $r$-approximate minimum Steiner tree. Moreover, we present a new fast heuristic that...

The problem of minimizing the maximum edge congestion in a multicast communication network generalizes the well-known NP-hard multicommodity flow problem. We give the presently best theoretical approximation results as well as efficient implementations. In particular we show that for a network with m edges and k multicast requests, an r(1 + ε)(rOPT + exp(1)lnm)-approximation can be computed in O(kmε-2lnklnm) time, where β bounds the time for computing an r-approximate minimum Steiner tree. Moreover,...

We study hardness of approximating several minimaximal and maximinimal NP-optimization problems related to the minimum linear ordering problem (MINLOP). MINLOP is to find a minimum weight acyclic tournament in a given arc-weighted complete digraph. MINLOP is APX-hard but its unweighted version is polynomial time solvable. We prove that MIN-MAX-SUBDAG problem, which is a generalization of MINLOP and requires to find a minimum cardinality maximal acyclic subdigraph of a given digraph, is, however,...

We study hardness of approximating several minimaximal and maximinimal NP-optimization problems related to the minimum linear ordering problem (MINLOP). MINLOP is to find a minimum weight acyclic tournament in a given arc-weighted complete digraph. MINLOP is APX-hard but its unweighted version is polynomial time solvable. We prove that MIN-MAX-SUBDAG problem, which is a generalization of MINLOP and requires to find a minimum cardinality maximal acyclic subdigraph of a given digraph, is, however,...

In the job shop scheduling problem $k$-units-$J_m$, there are $m$ machines and each machine has an integer processing time of at most $k$ time units. Each job consists of a permutation of $m$ tasks corresponding to all machines and thus all jobs have an identical dilation $D$. The contribution of this paper are the following results; (i) for $d=o\left(\sqrt{D}\right)$ jobs and every fixed $k$, the makespan of an optimal schedule is at most $D+o\left(D\right)$, which extends the result of [3] for $k=1$; (ii) a randomized on-line approximation algorithm for $k$-units-...

In the job shop scheduling problem k-units-Jm, there are m machines and each machine has an integer processing time of at most k time units. Each job consists of a permutation of m tasks corresponding to all machines and thus all jobs have an identical dilation D. The contribution of this paper are the following results; (i) for $d=o\left(\sqrt{D}\right)$ jobs and every fixed k, the makespan of an optimal schedule is at most D+ o(D), which extends the result of [3] for k=1; (ii) a randomized on-line approximation...