Abstract
Complexity theory is a means of measuring how complicated it is, or how much computer time it will take, to solve a problem. We measure complexity theory in the following way: Suppose that the formulation of an instance of a problem involves n pieces of data. Then how many steps will it take (as a function of n) to solve the problem? Can we obtain an effective bound on that number of steps that is valid for asymptotically large values of n?
Man propounds negotiations, man accepts the compromise. Very rarely will he squarely push the logic of a fact to its ultimate conclusion in unmitigated act.—Rudyard Kipling
No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself, and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true.—Nathaniel Hawthorne
Light; or, failing that, lightning: the world can take its choice.—Thomas Carlyle
Things and men have always a certain sense, a certain side by which they must be got hold of if one wants to obtain a solid grasp and a perfect command.—Joseph Conrad
In what we really understand, we reason but little.—William Hazlitt
It takes a long time to understand nothing.—Edward Dahlberg
All men naturally desire knowledge.—Aristotle
In all questions of logical analysis, our chief debt is to Frege.—Bertrand Russell and Alfred North Whitehead
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2002 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Krantz, S.G. (2002). Complexity Theory. In: Handbook of Logic and Proof Techniques for Computer Science. Birkhäuser, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-0115-1_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-0115-1_12
Publisher Name: Birkhäuser, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-6619-8
Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-0115-1
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive