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An Approximation Algorithm for the Coefficients of the Reliability Polynomial

Published

Author(s)

Brian D. Cloteaux, Isabel M. Beichl, F Sullivan

Abstract

The reliability polynomial gives the probability that a graph remains connected given that each edge in it can fail independently with a probability p. While in general determining the coefficients of this polynomial is #P-complete, we give a randomized algorithm for approximating its coefficients. When compared to the known approximation method of Colbourn, Debroni and Myrvold, our method empirically shows a much faster rate of convergence.
Citation
Congressus Numerantium
Volume
197

Keywords

reliability polynomial, randomized algorithm

Citation

Cloteaux, B. , Beichl, I. and Sullivan, F. (2010), An Approximation Algorithm for the Coefficients of the Reliability Polynomial, Congressus Numerantium, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=902705 (Accessed October 27, 2025)

Issues

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Created March 15, 2010, Updated February 19, 2017
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