What is the P vs. NP Problem and My Quest to Solve It?

  • Thread starter David Carroll
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In summary, the P vs. NP Problem is a major unsolved problem in computer science and mathematics that asks whether all problems that can be verified quickly can also be solved efficiently by computers. Its significance lies in its potential to either greatly advance technological progress or reveal fundamental limitations in computation. As a scientist, the quest to solve this problem involves conducting research, developing new approaches, and collaborating with others. Currently, the P vs. NP Problem remains an open problem, but progress is being made towards a solution and its implications could have a significant impact on various fields.
  • #1
David Carroll
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Just found the new member discussion. My life is not very interesting. I was a nuclear reactor operator in the US Navy. After leaving the Navy, I made a ton of mistakes with my life, including acquiring a heroin addiction which drug (no pun intended) out for several years. I was recently diagnosed as being on the Autism Spectrum. I have discovered a new found love of mathematics. One of my life goals is to solve the P vs. NP problem and win the Millennial prize of one million dollars. I truly believe that P does indeed equal NP and I want to prove it.

Let's see. What else? I've lived most of my life in Michigan, but circumstances brought me to West Virginia and I absolutely hate it here. It's a very culturally oppressive part of the country and a spirit of anti-intellectualism and anti-art pervades here. I plan on moving to Philadelphia in the near future, in sha' Allah.
 
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  • #2
David Carroll said:
nuclear reactor operator in the US Navy
That sounds very interesting! We have a nice nuclear engineering area here.

David Carroll said:
recently diagnosed as being on the Autism Spectrum
Non uncommon here :)

David Carroll said:
I truly believe that P does indeed equal NP and I want to prove it.
Looking forward to your discussions

David Carroll said:
plan on moving to Philadelphia
I like Philly, lots of history!
 
  • #3
Pleased to meet you, Greg!
 
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About the P vs. NP problem: I've noticed that if a certain step is performed on the members of the set of numbers (in the subset sum problem), an important and relevant result follows. I don't want to be too specific because I get paranoid that someone will steal my idea and beat me to the Millennial prize...haha. Whether or not this step can be translated to the other NP-complete problems I don't know. I'll have to get a textbook on computation theory.
 
  • #5
Hello David. I wuz an EO nuke but stayed in the community to retire as a NS 0989 028 5000 Shift Test Engineer. Unfortunately I am risk averse and have made few notable errors and only moderate success.

I believe your concern about competition is valid for a friend's experience. 'Uncle' Al Schwartz had a presence here.

Aleikhem shalom ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
 
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  • #6
Hi, Doug. Thanks for responding. I myself made terrible choices for my life right when I got out of the Navy 13 years ago. I never made applications to plants or anywhere else in the nuclear field. I think it's been too long since training for me to do anything career-wise at this point. Actually, I was an MM, but it's more simple to say "reactor operator" since nobody would know what I meant by "nuclear-rated machinist's mate" even if it's misleading.
 
  • #7
Hi David

welcome aboard :)
I have no idea about the " P vs. NP problem" without doing some googling, have no idea what field of physics it belongs to haha
presumably not in the fields I dabble in ... geology, astronomy or electronics

cheers
Dave
 
  • #8
Thank you, davenn. The problem is in the field of algorithms and computation.
 

Related to What is the P vs. NP Problem and My Quest to Solve It?

What is the P vs. NP Problem?

The P vs. NP Problem is a major unsolved problem in computer science and mathematics. It asks whether every problem that can be quickly verified by a computer can also be solved by a computer in a reasonable amount of time. This problem has significant implications for fields such as cryptography, optimization, and artificial intelligence.

What is the significance of the P vs. NP Problem?

The P vs. NP Problem has significant implications for computer science and mathematics. If P = NP, it would mean that many difficult problems that are currently believed to be unsolvable could be solved efficiently, leading to major breakthroughs in various fields. On the other hand, if P ≠ NP, it would mean that there are fundamental limitations to what computers can do, and some problems may never be solved efficiently.

What is your quest to solve the P vs. NP Problem?

As a scientist, my quest to solve the P vs. NP Problem involves conducting research, developing new algorithms and approaches, and collaborating with other experts in the field. I am constantly seeking new insights and breakthroughs that could potentially lead to a solution to this challenging problem.

What is the current status of the P vs. NP Problem?

The P vs. NP Problem is still an open problem, and no one has been able to prove either P = NP or P ≠ NP. Many researchers have attempted to solve it, but it remains one of the most elusive and challenging problems in computer science and mathematics. However, progress is being made, and new approaches and techniques are constantly being developed.

What are some potential implications of solving the P vs. NP Problem?

If the P vs. NP Problem is solved, it would have significant implications for many fields, including computer science, mathematics, and cryptography. It could lead to major advancements in technology, such as faster and more efficient algorithms, as well as new possibilities for solving complex problems in various industries. It could also have a significant impact on our understanding of computation and the limitations of computers.

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