A (3/2 + 1/e)-Approximation Algorithm for Ordered TSP


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Date

2024-09

Publication Type

Conference Paper

ETH Bibliography

yes

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Data

Abstract

We present a new (3/2+1/e)-approximation algorithm for the Ordered Traveling Salesperson Problem (Ordered TSP). Ordered TSP is a variant of the classic metric Traveling Salesperson Problem (TSP) where a specified subset of vertices needs to appear on the output Hamiltonian cycle in a given order, and the task is to compute a cheapest such cycle. Our approximation guarantee of approximately 1.868 holds with respect to the value of a natural new linear programming (LP) relaxation for Ordered TSP. Our result significantly improves upon the previously best known guarantee of 5/2 for this problem and thereby considerably reduces the gap between approximability of Ordered TSP and metric TSP. Our algorithm is based on a decomposition of the LP solution into weighted trees that serve as building blocks in our tour construction.

Publication status

published

Book title

Approximation, Randomization, and Combinatorial Optimization. Algorithms and Techniques (APPROX/RANDOM 2024)

Volume

317

Pages / Article No.

Publisher

Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik

Event

27th International Conference on Approximation Algorithms for Combinatorial Optimization Problems (APPROX 2024)

Edition / version

Methods

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Geographic location

Date collected

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Subject

Travelling Salesperson Problem; precedence constraints; linear programming; approximation algorithms

Organisational unit

09487 - Zenklusen, Rico / Zenklusen, Rico check_circle

Notes

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