Questions tagged [pcp]

Probabilistically checkable proofs

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11 votes
1 answer
523 views

Connection between PCP and L=SL

The book by Arora and Barak contains in chapter notes on PCP We note that Dinur's general strategy is somewhat reminiscent of the zig-zag construction of expander graphs and Reingold's ...
3 votes
1 answer
81 views

Application of PCP and error correcting codes to LLMs?

Are there any interesting results in applying error correcting codes and ideas from PCP (Probabilistically Checkable Proofs) to improve the quality of large language models (LLM), or connecting them ...
1 vote
0 answers
147 views

Looking for an implementation of any PCP-verifier for any NP problem

Is there any implementation of any PCP-verifier (for any NP problem) researchers can download and test? No matter if it is a github entry with actual downloadable code or just a (reasonably detailed) ...
3 votes
1 answer
1k views

From CHSH inequality to CHSH game

I have been going through Certifiable quantum dice: or, true random number generation secure against quantum adversaries by Umesh Vazirani and Thomas Vidick. They have used entangled particles as ...
6 votes
1 answer
290 views

Why does Dinur's proof of the PCP theorem fail to work for unique games?

What is the critical step where things go wrong if one attempts to use Dinur's proof the PCP theorem to prove the unique games conjecture by starting from a unique label cover instance and doing gap ...
7 votes
1 answer
359 views

Technical lemma about curves used in original proof of PCP theorem

I am reading the proof from here and found a technical lemma that seems to be incorrect (its proof is short and very vague). I know this is rather specific and the context is problematic, but I couldn'...
8 votes
2 answers
473 views

Bivariate low-degree polynomial testing of Polishchuk-Spielman

In the seminal paper of Polishchuk and Spielman where they give a construction of nearly linear sized $PCP$ for an $NP$ problem, one of the key ingredients is a low-degree test for bivariate ...
12 votes
1 answer
769 views

Technical issue with PCP theorem proof

I am reading the proof from here and I stumbled upon a technical (yet crucial) problem. I know this is rather specific and the context is problematic, but I couldn't figure it out myself. In pages 51 ...
4 votes
1 answer
266 views

Results comparing BQP and NEXP

Are there oracle results with $$P=NP\neq BQP=NEXP\mbox{ and }P=NP\neq BQP\neq NEXP?$$ Also is there a $PCP$ characterization of $BQP$ like $$PCP(O(poly(n)),1)=PCP(O(poly(n)),O(poly(n)))=NEXP?$$
9 votes
1 answer
237 views

Best known asymptotic PCP sizes / 3-SAT

What are the best known asymptotic upper bounds on sizes of probabilistically checkable proofs? Ideally, I am looking for a contemporary survey on this broad question, but if there is none, I am ...
0 votes
1 answer
183 views

Does $\textbf{PCP}[poly(n), O(1)] = \textbf{coRP}$?

Something has been buzzing me recently. It is well-known that $\textbf{PCP}[poly(n), 0] = \textbf{coRP}$, but does $\textbf{PCP}[poly(n), O(1)] = \textbf{coRP}$ ? I have found a proof for this ...
1 vote
1 answer
196 views

Proof of Majority is stablest in "reverse" in the MAXCUT hardness paper by Khot et al

This is about Proposition 7.4 here. I think there is a slight error in the proof of this proposition. Basically, authors have taken $g$ to be the odd part of the function $f$. Due to which we can say ...
1 vote
1 answer
295 views

PCP research proposal [closed]

Hi I am taking an undergraduate taking a course in Probabilistic checkable Proofs. I will greatly appreciate if you can suggest some good research ideas and pertaining reading for someone who is just ...
3 votes
0 answers
88 views

Non-trivial PCP characterizations of complexity classes beyond ELEMENTARY?

There are interesting results of the form $PCP[a(n), b(n)] = \texttt{SOMECLASS(n)}$ for multiple classes in the exponential hierarchy: the most famous one is probably $PCP[O(log(n)), O(1)] = NP$. Are ...
65 votes
11 answers
5k views

What are good references to understanding the proof of the PCP theorem?

I'm familiar with a lot of results that use the PCP theorem (mainly in approximating algorithms), but I've never come across a clear explanation of the PCP theorem (ie, that $\mathsf{NP} = \mathsf{PCP}...
54 votes
1 answer
2k views

Is there a gap amplification type of result for the Graph Isomorphism Problem?

Suppose $G_1$ and $G_2$ are two undirected graphs on vertex set $\{1, \dotsc, n\}$. The graphs are isomorphic if and only if there is a permutation $\Pi$ such that $G_1 = \Pi(G_2)$, or more formally, ...
2 votes
0 answers
187 views

hardness of approximating clique: how using FGLSS reduction with PCP verifier of hastad

I try to understand the $n^{1-\epsilon}$ hardness of approximating clique for any $\epsilon$ provided in [1]: www.nada.kth.se/~johanh/cliqueinap.ps In fact, I only want to understand the proof of ...
2 votes
0 answers
126 views

Universal constant for bivariate testing

In the seminal paper of Polishchuk and Spielman where they give a construction of nearly linear sized $PCP$ for an $NP$ problem, one of the key ingredients is a low-degree test for bivariate ...
4 votes
2 answers
435 views

On the need for a self-correcting function in the PCP theorem

Original proof of the PCP theorem, uses self-correction property of linear functions. Assume we have $f: \{0,1\}^n \rightarrow \{0,1\}$, a function or table of values, that is $(1-\delta)$-close to ...
4 votes
0 answers
145 views

Low-degree testing in PCP Theorem using bivariate polynomials

I read about modifications of the low-degree test used in the (first) proof of the PCP theorem. The test used in the proof works over randomly chosen lines while modifications allow choosing random ...
1 vote
0 answers
68 views

Testing - Correcting Pairs in PCPs

The BLR linearity test and the low degree test are two common tools in PCPs. By my understanding these tests ensure bounds such that (self-) correctors can be applied. I have two questions regarding ...
9 votes
1 answer
456 views

A purely graph-theoretic explanation of the reduction from Unique Label Cover to Max-Cut

I am studying the Unique Games Conjecture and the famous reduction to Max-Cut of Khot et al. From their paper and elsewhere on the internet, most authors use (what to me is) an implicit equivalence ...
37 votes
4 answers
4k views

Hardness of approximation without the PCP theorem

An important application of the PCP theorem is that it yields "hardness of approximation" type results. In some relatively simpler cases one can prove such hardness without PCP. Is there, however, any ...
5 votes
3 answers
1k views

If SAT is in PCP, for some constant q, then P = NP

I have seen this statement before, but I haven't really seen a proof of it: If $SAT\in PCP_{1,2^{−q}}[\log(n),q]$, for some constant $q$, then $P = NP$. Now, if $SAT\in PCP_{1,2^{−q}}[\log(n),q]$, ...
1 vote
3 answers
1k views

PCP characterization of NP

The PCP theorem (NP= PCP(log n, O(1)) )is a major result in complexity theory with many applications such as proving hardness of approximate results. However, it seems to me that it does not offer any ...
7 votes
1 answer
220 views

Can NP-hard statements be proved by PCPs that only involve reading 2 bits?

For non-negative integers q, let PCP(q) denote the set of promise problems that have polynomial-length probabalistically checkable proofs over the binary alphabet in which the verifier only reads q ...
9 votes
2 answers
987 views

Quantum PCP and hardness of simulating of Hamiltonians

I have a few questions about Quantum PCP conjecture: What is the statement of the quantum PCP conjecture? What implications would Quantum PCP theorem have for simulating of Hamiltonians? Is it ...
3 votes
2 answers
474 views

How are PCPs and ZKPs related?

I only have a (very) introductory knowledge about the Hardness of Approximation and PCP theorem, and I am wondering if it has any specific implications (or can somehow be studied) with Zero Knowledge ...
6 votes
2 answers
207 views

Is a software implementation of a PCP encoder available?

We all know the PCP Theorem. Is there any software package availalbe taking a CNF in e.g. DIMACS format as input, and producing a PCP encoding in the same format as output? It might be interesting to ...
2 votes
2 answers
513 views

Multi prover, verifier games and PCP theorem

This question came up while I was going through Siu On Chan's paper on Approximation Resistance. My question is not really related to the paper though. I also guess that this is more of a reference ...
4 votes
0 answers
1k views

More legent proof of MIP=NEXP using the PCP theorem

Can we prove $\mathsf{MIP}=\mathsf{NEXP}$ using the PCP theorem $\mathsf{NP}=\mathsf{PCP(log(n),O(1))}$ as a shortcut? $\mathsf{MIP}$ is the class of languages with multi-prover interactive proof ...
1 vote
1 answer
367 views

number of PCP queries

we know from the PCP theorem that $PCP[O(log(n)),O(1)]=NP$,what if we choose specific number of queries will the theorem hold ?
6 votes
4 answers
805 views

How to start studying topics Hardness of approximation and PCP's

Recently I have done an introductory course on complexity theory ( which covered 90% of sipser text book). Now I would like to study the topics Hardness of approximation and PCP's. Can you please ...
7 votes
0 answers
348 views

Does Dinur's proof of PCP Theorem imply a procedure for reconstructing a witness?

In Section 3.2 of On Syntactic versus Computational Views on Approximability by Khanna, et al., the authors state that an adaptation of the results from Proof Verification and Hardness of ...
4 votes
0 answers
104 views

What is the query and randomness complexity for very efficient PCPs?

In the 2012 paper On the Concrete-Efficiency Threshold of Probabilistically-Checkable Proofs, the authors state the following (paraphrased from page 11). Theorem 1 (informal). There is a PCP system ...
20 votes
0 answers
480 views

Interesting PCP characterization of classes smaller than P?

The PCP theorem, $\mathsf{NP} = \mathsf{PCP}(\mathsf{log}\, n, 1)$, involves probabilistically checkable proofs with polynomial time verifiers, so the smallest class that can be characterized in this ...
10 votes
1 answer
573 views

One-sided errors in probablistic proof systems

In most probabilistic proof systems ( PCP theorem, for instance), the error-probabilities are usually defined on the side of the false-positives, i.e., a typical definition could look like : if $x \...
20 votes
3 answers
802 views

$\mathcal{MA}$ in terms of $\mathcal{PCP}$

The probabilistic proof system $\mathcal{PCP}[f(n),g(n)]$ is commonly referred to as a restriction of $\mathcal{MA}$, where Arthur can only use $f(n)$ random bits and can only examine $g(n)$ bits of ...
3 votes
1 answer
407 views

Consequences of Unique Games being a NPI problem

Assume that UG is $\mathsf{NPI}$, i.e. not solvable in $\mathsf{P}$ nor in $\mathsf{NP\text{-}complete}$ (so UGC is false). Is it still NP-hard to give a $(2-\epsilon)$ polytime approximation ...
0 votes
1 answer
535 views

Non adaptive PCP

So this is a question from Arora, Barak textbook which was on our homework. I submitted it so no worries. :) The question asks us to simulate an adaptive PCP with a non-adaptive one. It says this can ...
17 votes
2 answers
898 views

Is there a simple argument that shows that the unique games conjecture implies the PCP theorem

how can one show that what is relation between "Unique games conjecture" and "PCP theorem"? how does one explain "Unique games conjecture" is stronger form of "PCP theorem"?
13 votes
1 answer
254 views

Is there a continuous version of parallel repetition theorem

Raz's Parallel pretition theorem is an important result in PCP, inapproximation, etc. The theorem is fomalized as follows. A game $G=(\mathcal{S},\mathcal{T},\mathcal{A},\mathcal{B},\pi, V)$, where $\...
10 votes
2 answers
474 views

Do good PCPs for NP give us good PCPs for the entire polynomial hierarchy?

The PCP Theorem states that every decision problem in NP has probabilistically checkable proofs (or equivalently, that there exists a complete and quasi-sound proof system for theorems in NP using ...
20 votes
2 answers
1k views

Super-polynomial time approximation algorithms for MAX 3SAT

The PCP theorem states that there is no polynomial time algorithm for MAX 3SAT to find an assignment satisfying $7/8+ \epsilon$ clauses of a satisfiable 3SAT formula unless $P = NP$. There is a ...
4 votes
1 answer
315 views

Effect of serial repetition on soundness of a PCP, and what is special with 1/2?

As far as I know, following operations convert a $PCP_{1,s}[O(\log n),O(1)]$ , to a $PCP_{1,s’}[O(\log n),O(1)]$, with following $s’$ : By constant number of applications of serial repetition: can ...
2 votes
1 answer
207 views

hardness of approximation result for a Min-CSP, by reduction from PCPs

Reduction from PCPs allow us to prove hardness of approximation results for a number of constraint satisfaction problems. I've seen such a reductions only for Max-CSPs. Is this possible only for Max-...
8 votes
1 answer
427 views

Approximating Random MAX-k-SAT

It is known [de la Vega & Karpinski 2002] that random instances of MAX-3-SAT on $n$ variables can be approximated up to fraction at least 8/9 w.h.p. tending to 1 as $n$ tends to infinity. Should ...
8 votes
1 answer
421 views

Degree reduction step in Dinur's proof of the PCP theorem

In the degree reduction step of Dinur's proof, the input graph $G$ is transformed into a graph $G'$ by replacing each vertex $v \in V(G)$ by a set of vertices, $cloud(v)$, such that $|cloud(v)| = ...
12 votes
3 answers
537 views

Hard gaps in maximum constraint satisfaction problems?

An equivalent formulation of PCP theorem is: For Max 3-SAT it is $NP$-hard to distinguish between satisfiable formulas and formulas where at most $r$-fraction of the clauses are satisfiable (for some $...
6 votes
1 answer
432 views

Alphabet Reduction Step in PCP Proof

I understand that the purpose of the alphabet reduction step in Dinur's proof of the PCP theorem is to reduce the alphabet after the graph powering stage. However, I don't see why the alphabet needs ...