Property Testing: Problems and Techniques

This book provides an introduction to property testing, which designs algorithms to decide whether their input satisfies a predetermined property in sublinear time. It consists of three parts: the foundations of property testing, the testing of specific properties, and general conditions. The first and second parts are intended for first-year graduate students, while the third part is for researchers and ambitious graduate students.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 427 pages
Publication date: 23 March 2023
Publisher: Springer Verlag, Singapore

This comprehensive book delves into the realm of property testing, a field dedicated to designing algorithms that efficiently determine whether their input satisfies a predetermined property in sublinear time, or even in constant time, regardless of the input size. Spanning three parts, this text offers a thorough exploration of the foundations, applications, and advanced techniques of property testing.

In the first part, the book provides a foundational introduction to property testing, covering key concepts and principles. It introduces the reader to the fundamental ideas behind testing properties, such as randomness, uniformity, and independence, and explains how these concepts can be used to design efficient algorithms. The first part is designed to be accessible to first-year graduate students in computer science, as well as undergraduate students with a strong background in the field.

The second part of the book focuses on the testing of specific properties on various data structures, including strings, graphs, functions, and constraint satisfaction problems. It covers a wide range of testing techniques, such as randomization, simulation, and enumeration, and demonstrates how these techniques can be applied to evaluate the properties of different systems. The second part is particularly valuable for researchers and ambitious graduate students who seek to gain a deeper theoretical understanding of property testing.

The third part of the book takes a more advanced approach and delves into general conditions that allow properties to be constant-query testable. It discusses full characterizations of constant-query testable properties, as well as algorithms and techniques for testing such properties. The third part is intended for researchers and advanced graduate students who wish to explore the boundaries of property testing and push the limits of algorithmic efficiency.

Overall, this book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in designing efficient algorithms and gaining a deeper understanding of property testing. Its comprehensive coverage, accessible writing style, and extensive examples make it an ideal text for both students and researchers in computer science and related fields.

Weight: 1100g
Dimension: 207 x 280 x 31 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789811686245
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022