English

SAT Has No Wizards

Computational Complexity 2008-02-14 v1

Abstract

An (encoded) decision problem is a pair (E, F) where E=words that encode instances of the problem, F=words to be accepted. We use "strings" in a technical sense. With an NP problem (E, F) we associate the "logogram" of F relative to E, which conveys structural information on E, F, and how F is embedded in E. The kernel Ker(P) of a program P that solves (E, F) consists of those strings in the logogram that are used by P. There are relations between Ker(P) and the complexity of P. We develop an application to SAT that relies upon a property of internal independence of SAT. We show that SAT cannot have in its logogram strings serving as collective certificates. As consequence, all programs that solve SAT have same kernel.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.0802.1790,
  title  = {SAT Has No Wizards},
  author = {Silvano Di Zenzo},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0802.1790},
  year   = {2008}
}

Comments

19 pages

R2 v1 2026-06-21T10:12:10.837Z