Title
Vertex cover approximations: experiments and observations
Abstract
The vertex cover problem is a classic NP-complete problem for which the best worst-case approximation ratio is roughly 2. In this paper, we use a collection of simple reductions, each of which guarantees an approximation ratio of $\frac{3}{2}$, to find approximate vertex covers for a large collection of test graphs from various sources. We explain these reductions and explore the interaction between them. These reductions are extremely fast and even though they, by themselves are not guaranteed to find a vertex cover, we manage to find a 3/2-approximate vertex cover for every single graph in our large collection of test examples.
Year
DOI
Venue
2005
10.1007/11427186_47
WEA
Keywords
Field
DocType
worst-case approximation ratio,approximation ratio,vertex cover,approximate vertex,test graph,vertex cover problem,test example,2-approximate vertex cover,large collection,classic np-complete problem,col,weed management,np complete problem
Discrete mathematics,Approximation algorithm,Graph,Combinatorics,Algorithmics,Vertex (geometry),Edge cover,Vertex cover,Linear programming relaxation,Mathematics,Feedback vertex set
Conference
Volume
ISSN
ISBN
3503
0302-9743
3-540-25920-1
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
7
0.53
14
Authors
2
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Eyjolfur Asgeirsson170.53
C Stein21207125.21