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CHAPTER - 5
Computational Complexity Theory
5.1 Introduction
Complexity theory considers not only whether a problem can be solved at all on a computer (as
computability theory), but also how efficiently the problem can be solved. Thus, the complexity
theory classifies problems according to their degree of “difficulty”. Two major aspects are
considered: time complexity and space complexity, which are respectively how many steps does
it take to perform a computation, and how much memory is required to perform that
computation. Although the time and space complexity are dependent of input problem but it is
more complexity issue, so computer scientists have adopted Big O notation that compare the
asymptotic behavior of large problems.
Complexity classes
Complexity class Model of computation Resource constraint
P Deterministic Turing machine Time poly(n)
EXPTIME Deterministic Turing machine Time 2poly(n)
NP Non-deterministic Turing machine Time poly(n)
NEXPTIME Non-deterministic Turing machine Time 2poly(n)
L Deterministic Turing machine Space O(log n)
PSPACE Deterministic Turing machine Space poly(n)
EXPSPACE Deterministic Turing machine Space 2poly(n)
NL Non-deterministic Turing machine Space O(log n)
NPSPACE Non-deterministic Turing machine Space poly(n)
NEXPSPACE Non-deterministic Turing machine Space 2poly(n)
5.2 Class P and NP problems

a. P = Polynomial (Problems that solve by deterministic
algorithm i.e. by TM that halts)
b. NP = Non-deterministic polynomial (Problems that
solve by non-deterministic algorithm i.e. by NTM)
 The time complexity, T(n) of Turing machine (M) is the

maximum moves made by M in passing any input string
of length ‘n’ i.e. M halts after making at most T(n) moves.
 For defining class P and class NP, we require the time
complexity of a Turing machine.
 A language L is said to be in class P if there exists a deterministic Turing machine M such
that M is of time complexity P(n) for some polynomial P and M accept L. E.g. Kruskal’s
Algorithm
 A language L is said to be in class NP if there exists a non-deterministic Turing machine M
such that M is of time complexity P(n) for some polynomial P and M accept L. E.g.
Traveling sales man problem
P versus NP problem
 The complexity class P is often seen as a mathematical
abstraction modeling those computational tasks that admit an
efficient algorithm.
 The complexity class NP, on the other hand, contains many
problems that people would like to solve efficiently, but for
Theory of Computation - Compiled by Yagya Raj Pandeya, NAST, Dhangadhi ©[email protected] Page 1
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which no efficient algorithm is known. Diagram of complexity classes provided that
P ≠ NP.
 A deterministic machine, at each point in time, executes an instruction. Depending on the
outcome of executing the instruction, it then executes some next instruction, which is
unique. A non-deterministic machine on the other hand has a choice of next steps. It is free
to choose any that it wishes. For example, it can always choose a next step that leads to the
best solution for the problem. A non-deterministic machine thus has the power of extremely
good, optimal guessing.
The P versus NP problem is to determine whether every language accepted by some

nondeterministic algorithm in polynomial time is also accepted by some (deterministic)
algorithm in polynomial time. To define the problem precisely it is necessary to give a formal
model of a computer. The standard computer model in computability theory is the Turing
machine, introduced by Alan Turing in 1936. Although the model was introduced before physical
computers were built, it nevertheless continues to be accepted as the proper computer model for
the purpose of defining the notion of computable function.
Informally the class P is the class of decision problems solvable by some algorithm within a
number of steps bounded by some fixed polynomial in the length of the input. Turing was not
concerned with the efficiency of his machines, but rather his concern was whether they can
simulate arbitrary algorithms given sufficient time. However it turns out Turing machines can
generally simulate more efficient computer models (for example machines equipped with many
tapes or an unbounded random access memory) by at most squaring or cubing the computation
time. Thus P is a robust class, and has equivalent definitions over a large class of computer
models.
NP-completeness
NP-complete is a subset of NP, the set of all decision problems whose solutions can be verified in
polynomial time; NP may be equivalently defined as the set of decision problems that can be
solved in polynomial time on a nondeterministic Turing machine.
A decision problem C is NP-complete if:

1. C is in NP, and
2. Every problem in NP is reducible to C in polynomial time.
NP-hard problems
Some problem that proves the condition – (2) of
NP-completeness problem but not the condition –
(1) is called the NP-hard problem. They are
intractable problems.
Euler diagram for P, NP, NP-complete, and NP-

hard set of problems can be seen here.
Note: Here we define the language as problem in

case of all above complexity class problems.
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CHAPTER - 5

Computational Complexity Theory

5.2 Class P and NP problems

 The time complexity, T(n) of Turing machine (M) is the

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The P versus NP problem is to determine whether every language accepted by some

A decision problem C is NP-complete if:

Euler diagram for P, NP, NP-complete, and NP-

Note: Here we define the language as problem in

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