arXiv:2603.17916cs.DScs.IR2026-03

提出非均匀代价下图搜索的近似算法,解决平均代价最小化问题。

Average Case Graph Searching in Non-Uniform Cost Models

  • 设计树结构的4+ε近似FPTAS,通用图有√log n近似比。
  • 在单调代价下给出首个常数因子2倍近似算法。
  • 证明任意代价函数下无常数近似可能,即使在星形图上。

我们研究经典二分搜索问题的推广:搜索者需通过迭代查询顶点,在图G中找到隐藏目标顶点x。每次查询顶点v的代价为c(v,x),返回结果包括是否v=x,若否则返回G-v中包含x的连通分量。目标是最小化平均搜索代价。首先,当查询代价与目标无关时,我们为树结构设计了(4+ε)-近似FPTAS,时间复杂度O(n⁴/ε²),并为一般图给出O(√log n)近似比;此外,还提供以非叶顶点数为参数的FPTAS。在复杂性方面,证明即使输入是度数或直径有界的树,问题仍为NP-hard。其次,考虑树结构且代价函数关于目标单调非减(即若u在v到x的路径上,则c(u,x) ≤ c(v,x)),我们给出2-近似算法,且可轻松调整用于最坏情况。这是首个在两种准则下的常数因子近似算法。此前工作仅关注最坏情况,包括参数化PTAS和路径上的4-近似。最后,当代价函数为查询顶点与目标的任意函数时,该问题在唯一游戏假设(UGC)下不承认任何常数因子近似,即使输入是星形图。

原文摘要 · Abstract (English)

We consider the following generalization of the classic Binary Search Problem: a searcher is required to find a hidden target vertex $x$ in a graph $G$, by iteratively performing queries about vertices. A query to $v$ incurs a cost $c(v, x)$ and responds whether $v=x$ and if not, returns the connected component in $G-v$ containing $x$. The goal is to design a search strategy that minimizes the average-case search cost. Firstly, we consider the case when the cost of querying a vertex is independent of the target. We develop a $\br{4+ε}$-approximation FPTAS for trees running in $O(n^4/ε^2)$ time and an $O({\sqrt{\log n}})$-approximation for general graphs. Additionally, we give an FPTAS parametrized by the number of non-leaf vertices of the graph. On the hardness side we prove that the problem is NP-hard even when the input is a tree with bounded degree or bounded diameter. Secondly, we consider trees and assume $c(v, x)$ to be a monotone non-decreasing function with respect to $x$, i.e.\ if $u \in P_{v, x}$ then $c(u, x) \leq c(v, x)$. We give a $2$-approximation algorithm which can also be easily altered to work for the worst-case variant. This is the first constant factor approximation algorithm for both criterions. Previously known results only regard the worst-case search cost and include a parametrized PTAS as well as a $4$-approximation for paths. At last, we show that when the cost function is an arbitrary function of the queried vertex and the target, then the problem does not admit any constant factor approximation under the UGC, even when the input tree is a star.

图搜索近似算法代价模型复杂性

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