Approximation Algorithms and Semidefinite Programming

Semidefinite programs constitute one of the largest classes of optimization problems that can be solved with reasonable efficiency - both in theory and practice. They play a key role in a variety of r

Discrete optimization problems are everywhere, from traditional operations research planning (scheduling, facility location and network design); to computer science databases; to advertising issues in viral marketing. Yet most such problems are NP-hard; unless P = NP, there are no efficient algorithms to find optimal solutions. This book shows how to design approximation algorithms: efficient algorithms that find provably near-optimal solutions. The book is organized around central algorithmic techniques for designing approximation algorithms, including greedy and local search algorithms, dynamic programming, linear and semidefinite programming, and randomization. Each chapter in the first section is devoted to a single algorithmic technique applied to several different problems, with more sophisticated treatment in the second section. The book also covers methods for proving that optimization problems are hard to approximate. Designed as a textbook for graduate-level algorithm courses

Semidefinite programming (SDP) is one of the most exciting and active research areas in optimization. It has and continues to attract researchers with very diverse backgrounds, including experts in

Over the past two decades there have been significant advances in the field of optimization. In particular, convex optimization has emerged as a powerful signal processing tool, and the variety of applications continues to grow rapidly. This book, written by a team of leading experts, sets out the theoretical underpinnings of the subject and provides tutorials on a wide range of convex optimization applications. Emphasis throughout is on cutting-edge research and on formulating problems in convex form, making this an ideal textbook for advanced graduate courses and a useful self-study guide. Topics covered range from automatic code generation, graphical models, and gradient-based algorithms for signal recovery, to semidefinite programming (SDP) relaxation and radar waveform design via SDP. It also includes blind source separation for image processing, robust broadband beamforming, distributed multi-agent optimization for networked systems, cognitive radio systems via game theory, and t