Maximal disjoint subset problem

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In summary, we have a set of sets S = {s1, s2, ..., sn} and we are seeking a maximal subset of S where the sets in the subset are all pairwise disjoint. This problem is known as the max clique problem and can be formulated as a dynamic programming problem. The reduction to this problem is polynomial time, making it NP-complete.
  • #1
mXSCNT
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We have a set of sets S = {s1, s2, ..., sn}. We seek a maximal subset of S, such that the sets in that subset are all pairwise disjoint.

How difficult is this? Is it NP-complete? Does this problem have a name?
 
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  • #2
I don't think that this problem has a name. It may be possible to formulate this as a dynamic programming problem, think about that a little if you will.
 
  • #3
Oh, I just realized it is the max clique problem... for a given graph G = (V,E), assign each node a set s(n). Let s(n) = {(n,b) | b != n and the edge (n,b) is not in the graph}. That implies there is an edge between two nodes a,b if and only if s(a) and s(b) are pairwise disjoint. So the maximum size pairwise disjoint subset of S = {s(n) | n is in V} consists of the sets corresponding to nodes in the max clique of the graph. This reduction is polynomial time, so my maximal disjoint subset problem is NP-complete.
 

1. What is the Maximal Disjoint Subset Problem?

The Maximal Disjoint Subset Problem is a combinatorial optimization problem that involves finding the largest possible subset of a given set of elements such that no two elements in the subset have any common factors. It is often used in computer science and mathematics to solve various real-world problems.

2. How is the Maximal Disjoint Subset Problem solved?

The Maximal Disjoint Subset Problem is typically solved using algorithms such as the greedy algorithm or the dynamic programming algorithm. Both of these algorithms aim to find the optimal solution by considering all possible subsets and choosing the one that satisfies the given constraints and has the maximum number of elements.

3. What are some real-life applications of the Maximal Disjoint Subset Problem?

The Maximal Disjoint Subset Problem has various applications in fields such as scheduling, resource allocation, and data compression. For example, it can be used in scheduling tasks in a way that minimizes conflicts, allocating resources to maximize efficiency, and selecting diverse data for efficient storage and transmission.

4. Can the Maximal Disjoint Subset Problem be solved for any set of elements?

Yes, the Maximal Disjoint Subset Problem can be solved for any set of elements, as long as they can be compared and have a defined notion of common factors. This problem has been studied extensively, and various algorithms have been developed to solve it efficiently for different types of elements.

5. Are there any variations of the Maximal Disjoint Subset Problem?

Yes, there are several variations of the Maximal Disjoint Subset Problem, such as the Maximum Cardinality Disjoint Subset Problem and the Maximum Weight Disjoint Subset Problem. These variations have different objectives, such as finding the subset with the maximum number of elements or the subset with the maximum total weight, but they all follow the same basic principles.

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