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If a convex optimization problem can be NP-Hard, in what sense are convex problems easier than non-convex problems?
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Problem
Being new to the OR and Optimization world, I've always assumed that a problem being convex meant that it can be solved in polynomial time.
Now I am learning that a convex optimization problem can be NP-Hard, but that convex problems are still somehow considered easier than non-convex problems.
Can someone explain this apparent contradiction to me:
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Is it true that a convex optimization can be NP-Hard? On one hand, based on this post and the accepted answer, yes, There are examples of convex optimization problems which are NP-hard. On the other hand, This lecture from a Stanford Professor, around 28:00 states that convexity means tractability and polynomial time algorithms.
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If it is indeed true that convex optimization problems can be NP-Hard, then in what sense are they "easier" than non-convex problems? As far as I know, there are no levels of NP-Hardness, anything between NP-Complete and P-Space is NP-Hard. I frequently hear Operations Research people say that we have all sorts of tools for convex problems, while non-convex problems are still very hard to deal with?
Now I am learning that a convex optimization problem can be NP-Hard, but that convex problems are still somehow considered easier than non-convex problems.
Can someone explain this apparent contradiction to me:
-
Is it true that a convex optimization can be NP-Hard? On one hand, based on this post and the accepted answer, yes, There are examples of convex optimization problems which are NP-hard. On the other hand, This lecture from a Stanford Professor, around 28:00 states that convexity means tractability and polynomial time algorithms.
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If it is indeed true that convex optimization problems can be NP-Hard, then in what sense are they "easier" than non-convex problems? As far as I know, there are no levels of NP-Hardness, anything between NP-Complete and P-Space is NP-Hard. I frequently hear Operations Research people say that we have all sorts of tools for convex problems, while non-convex problems are still very hard to deal with?
Solution
A first order approximation is that convex programs are tractable, .i.e., most problems you can think of as a layman in the field that are convex, are (probably) tractable to solve. That's why you would be told that in an introductory course on convex optimization. It is not true though.
Tractability of convex problems essentially boils down to being able to decide if a solution $x$ is feasible, in a computationally tractable way (having a so called oracle available). There are convex sets for which this isn't the case. One such example if the set of co-positive matrices. If you are trying to find a matrix $M(x)$ such that $z^TM(x)z \geq 0$ for all $z\geq 0$, you have problems, as it is very hard to decide if a candidate $M(x)$ satisfies that property. Compare to the simple case of positive-semidefinite where all $z$ should lead to non-negativity, this is simply an eigenvalue test and thus semidefinite programming is tractable. Alas, also this statement is up for debate, as it depends on what you mean with solving a problem. A semidefinite programming problem with size $n$ (what ever we mean with that) can have a solution which whose representation grows at an exponential rate $2^n$.
Tractability of convex problems essentially boils down to being able to decide if a solution $x$ is feasible, in a computationally tractable way (having a so called oracle available). There are convex sets for which this isn't the case. One such example if the set of co-positive matrices. If you are trying to find a matrix $M(x)$ such that $z^TM(x)z \geq 0$ for all $z\geq 0$, you have problems, as it is very hard to decide if a candidate $M(x)$ satisfies that property. Compare to the simple case of positive-semidefinite where all $z$ should lead to non-negativity, this is simply an eigenvalue test and thus semidefinite programming is tractable. Alas, also this statement is up for debate, as it depends on what you mean with solving a problem. A semidefinite programming problem with size $n$ (what ever we mean with that) can have a solution which whose representation grows at an exponential rate $2^n$.
Context
StackExchange Computer Science Q#114924, answer score: 3
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