English

The Complexity of Checking Partial Total Positivity

Computational Complexity 2021-09-21 v2 Combinatorics Rings and Algebras

Abstract

We prove that checking if a partial matrix is partial totally positive is co-NP-complete. This contrasts with checking a conventional matrix for total positivity, for which we provide a cubic time algorithm. Checking partial sign regularity with any signature, including partial total nonnegativity, is also co-NP-complete. Finally, we prove that checking partial total positivity in a partial matrix with logarithmically many unspecified entries may be done in polynomial time.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2103.08742,
  title  = {The Complexity of Checking Partial Total Positivity},
  author = {Daniel Carter and Charles Johnson},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2103.08742},
  year   = {2021}
}

Comments

4 pages, 0 figures; added Section 4 and minor corrections

R2 v1 2026-06-24T00:12:32.512Z