Narrow proofs may be spacious: Separating space and width in resolution

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingArticle in proceedingsResearchpeer-review

The width of a resolution proof is the maximal number of literals in any clause of the proof. The space of a proof is the maximal number of clauses kept in memory simultaneously if the proof is only allowed to infer new clauses from clauses currently in memory. Both of these measures have previously been studied and related to the resolution refutation size of unsatisfiable CNF formulas. Also, the refutation space of a formula has been proven to be at least as large as the refutation width, but it has been open whether space can be separated from width or the two measures coincide asymptotically. We prove that there is a family of k-CNF formulas for which the refutation width in resolution is constant but the refutation space is non-constant, thus solving a problem mentioned in several previous papers.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSTOC'06 : Proceedings of the 38th Annual ACM Symposium on Theory of Computing
Number of pages10
Publication date2006
Pages507-516
ISBN (Print)1595931341, 9781595931344
Publication statusPublished - 2006
Event38th Annual ACM Symposium on Theory of Computing, STOC'06 - Seattle, WA, United States
Duration: 21 May 200623 May 2006

Conference

Conference38th Annual ACM Symposium on Theory of Computing, STOC'06
LandUnited States
BySeattle, WA
Periode21/05/200623/05/2006
SponsorACM SIGACT
SeriesProceedings of the Annual ACM Symposium on Theory of Computing
Volume2006
ISSN0737-8017

    Research areas

  • Lower bound, Pebble game, Pebbling contradiction, Proof complexity, Resolution, Separation, Space, Width

ID: 251871221