Algorithms for Convex Bodies

Abstract

We shall now exploit the ellipsoid method (the central-cut and the shallow-cut version) described in Chapter 3. In Sections 4.2, 4.3, and 4.4 we study the algorithmic relations between problems (2.1.10),..., (2.1.14), and we will prove that — under certain assumptions — these problems are equivalent with respect to polynomial time solvability. Section 4.5 serves to show that these assumptions cannot be weakened. In Section 4.6 we investigate various other basic questions of convex geometry from an algorithmic point of view and prove algorithmic analogues of some well-known theorems. Finally, in Section 4.7 we discuss to what extent algorithmic properties of convex bodies are preserved when they are subjected to operations like sum, intersection etc.