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Convexity and the Steiner tree problem
Author(s) -
Scott Provan J.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
networks
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.977
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1097-0037
pISSN - 0028-3045
DOI - 10.1002/net.3230180108
Subject(s) - steiner tree problem , convexity , k minimum spanning tree , mathematics , tree (set theory) , combinatorics , k ary tree , boundary (topology) , regular polygon , discrete mathematics , mathematical optimization , tree structure , binary tree , mathematical analysis , geometry , financial economics , economics
We investigate the role convexity plays in the efficient solution to the Steiner tree problem. In general terms, we show that a Steiner tree problem is always computationally easier to solve when the points to be connected lie on the boundary of a “convex” region. For the Steiner tree problem on graphs and the rectilinear Steiner tree problem, we give definitions of “convexity” for which this condition is sufficient to allow a polynomial algorithm for finding the optimal Steiner tree. For the classical Steiner tree problem, we show that for the standard definition of convexity, this condition is sufficient to allow a fully polynomial approximation scheme.