What is a decision problem?
A decision problem is a type of computational problem where the goal is to determine whether a given input
meets a specific condition,with the answer being either "yes" or "no." These problems are foundational in computer
science and serve as a basis for understanding computational complexity and algorithmic analysis.
Meaning of decidable decisions problem
A decision problem is said to be decidable if there exists an algorithm or a Turing machine
that can correctly determine the answer (either "yes" or "no") for any possible input instance within
a finite amount of time. In other words, a decidable decision problem has a solution algorithm
that will always terminate and provide a correct answer for all possible inputs.
P, NP, and their differences
The class P consists of problems that can be efficiently solved by a deterministic algorithm in polynomial time,
making them computationally tractable. The class NP includes problems for which a proposed solution can be quickly
verified in polynomial time, but finding a solution efficiently remains an open question, as it's unclear if P
equals NP or not—a major unresolved problem in computer science.
Intuitive meaning of "P vs NP" question
The "P versus NP" question intuitively asks whether every problem for which we can quickly verify
a solution (NP problems) can also be solved quickly (P problems) by an algorithm. In other words,
it questions whether the difficulty of finding solutions to problems is fundamentally different from the ease of
checking those solutions once found. A resolution of this question has significant implications for the
boundaries of computational tractability.
If you resolve the P versus NP question, how much richer will you be?
Resolving the P versus NP question would not lead to personal financial wealth for individuals but
would greatly enrich our understanding of the fundamental limits and possibilities of computation.
It could have far-reaching implications for fields like cryptography, optimization, and algorithm design,
potentially leading to the development of more efficient algorithms and technologies that benefit society
as a whole.
Links of the information source
1. Wikipedia. (n.d.). P versus NP problem. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P_versus_NP_problem
2. https://news.mit.edu/2009/explainer-pnp
3. https://www.cantorsparadise.com/explaining-p-vs-np-e1da587d299a