Polynomial and Exponential Complexity

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Artificial Intelligence for Everyone
  • 25 Accesses

Abstract

Artificial intelligence is used whenever problems need to be solved that humans can understand and define, but which they cannot solve due to the complexity of the problem.

A distinction is made between two basic forms of complexity: polynomial and exponential complexity.

A typical example of exponential complexity is a family tree: every person has two parents, four grandparents, and eight great-grandparents. This means that such a family tree quickly becomes wider and wider toward the top.

An example of polynomial complexity are search problems, the search for a particular book in a bookcase, etc.

A number of combinatorial problems are given as examples of the different complexities, and it is shown how to overcome these difficulties.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now
eBook
EUR 85.59
Price includes VAT (Germany)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
EUR 106.99
Price includes VAT (Germany)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free ship** worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Bernd Steinbach, Christian Posthoff. Logic Functions and Equations—Fundamentals and Applications using the XBOOLE-Monitor, Third Edition, Springer Nature, 2021.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Christian Posthoff, Bernd Steinbach. Mathematik—Ohne Sorgen an der Uni II—Nutze Microsoft Mathematics, bookboon.com, 2017, 978-87-403-1949-1

    Google Scholar 

  3. https://www.juraforum.de/lexikon/regel

  4. https://kinder.wdr.de/tv/wissen-macht-ah/bibliothek/kuriosahbibliothek-wer-hat-das-recht-erfunden-100.html

  5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WilesproofofFermat'sLastTheorem

  6. https://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-color-theoremhttps://www.ki-strategie-deutschland.de/home.html

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Posthoff, C. (2024). Polynomial and Exponential Complexity. In: Artificial Intelligence for Everyone. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-57208-1_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-57208-1_5

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-57207-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-57208-1

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Navigation