English

Learning symmetric k-juntas in time n^o(k)

Combinatorics 2007-05-23 v1

Abstract

We give an algorithm for learning symmetric k-juntas (boolean functions of nn boolean variables which depend only on an unknown set of kk of these variables) in the PAC model under the uniform distribution, which runs in time n^{O(k/\log k)}. Our bound is obtained by proving the following result: Every symmetric boolean function on k variables, except for the parity and the constant functions, has a non-zero Fourier coefficient of order at least 1 and at most O(k/\log k). This improves the previously best known bound of (3/31)k, and provides the first n^{o(k)} time algorithm for learning symmetric juntas.

Cite

@article{arxiv.math/0504246,
  title  = {Learning symmetric k-juntas in time n^o(k)},
  author = {Mihail N. Kolountzakis and Evangelos Markakis and Aranyak Mehta},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:math/0504246},
  year   = {2007}
}
R2 v1 2026-07-22T17:18:02.374Z