Reduction (recursion Theory)

Reduction (recursion Theory)

In computability theory, many reducibility relations (also called reductions, reducibilities, and notions of reducibility) are studied. They are motivated by the question: given sets A and B of natural numbers, is it possible to effectively convert a method for deciding membership in B into a method for deciding membership in A? If the answer to this question is affirmative then A is said to be reducible to B.

The study of reducibility notions is motivated by the study of decision problems. For many notions of reducibility, if any noncomputable set is reducible to a set A then A must also be noncomputable. This gives a powerful technique for proving that many sets are noncomputable.

Read more about Reduction (recursion Theory):  Reducibility Relations, Turing Reducibility, Reductions Stronger Than Turing Reducibility, Reductions Weaker Than Turing Reducibility

Famous quotes containing the word reduction:

    The reduction of nuclear arsenals and the removal of the threat of worldwide nuclear destruction is a measure, in my judgment, of the power and strength of a great nation.
    Jimmy Carter (James Earl Carter, Jr.)