Abstract
Rational (resp. real) linear arithmetic is a computation domain included in several constraint logic programming languages. The decision procedure for this computation domain is usually based on a standard form for the representation of constraints. In this paper we show that the standard form used by the simplex algorithm for the representation of equations is not appropriate for deciding systems of linear constraints including disequations. We propose a new standard form, derived from it which overcomes the difficulty. We then show that the simplex algorithm can be extended to preserve this standard form through pivoting. These results provide the basis for an efficient and incremental procedure for rational linear arithmetic inside constraint logic programming languages.
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.References
A. Aiba, K. Sakai, Y. Sato, D.J. Hawley and R. Hasegawa, Constraint Logic Programming CAL, in:Proc. Int. Conf. on Fifth Generation Computer Systems, Tokyo, Japan (December 1988).
R. Bland, New finite pivoting rules for the simplex method, Math. Oper. Res. 2 (1977) 103–107.
A. Colmerauer, Opening the Prolog-III Universe, BYTE Magazine 12(9) (August 1987).
G.B. Dantzig,Linear Programming and Extensions (Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 1963).
G.B. Dantzig, A. Orden and P. Wolfe, The generalized simplex method for minimizing a linear form under linear inequality constraints, Pacific J. Math. 5 (1955) 183–195.
M. Dincbas, P. Van Hentenryck, H. Simonis, A. Aggoun, T. Graf and F. Berthier, The Constraint Logic Programming language CHIP, in:Proc. Int. Conf. on Fifth Generation Computer Systems, Tokyo, Japan (December 1988).
R. Freund, R. Roundy and M. Todd, Identifying the set of always-active constraints in a system of linear inequalities in a single linear program, Technical Report Working Paper 1674-85, MIT Sloan School of Management (1985).
R.S. Garfinkel and G.L. Nemhauser,Integer Programming (Wiley, New York, 1972).
J.L. Imbert and P. Van Hentenryck, Efficient handling of disequations in CLP over linear rational arithmetics, Technical Report CS-91-23, CS Department, Brown University (1991).
J. Jaffar and J.-L. Lassez, Constraint Logic Programming, in:POPL-87, Munich, Germany (January 1987).
J. Jaffar and S. Michaylov, Methodology and implementation of a CLP system, in:4th Int. Conf. on Logic Programming, Melbourne, Australia (May 1987).
J.-L. Lassez and K. McAloon, Independence of negative constraints, to appear.
J.-L. Lassez and K. McAloon, Applications of a canonical form for generalized linear constraints, in:Proc. Int. Conf. on Fifth Generation Computer Systems, Tokyo, Japan (December 1988).
G. Nelson, Techniques for program verification, Technical Report CSL-81-10, Xerox Palo Alto Research Center Research Report (1981).
A. Schrijver,Theory of Linear and Integer Programming, Interscience Series in Discrete Mathematics and Optimization (Wiley, 1986).
P.J. Stuckey, Incremental linear arithmetic constraint solving and detection of implicit equalities, submitted for publication (1990).
J. Telgen, Redundancy and linear programs, Mathematical Centre Tracts 137, Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam (1981).
S.N. Tschernikow, Lineare Ungleichungen (VEB Deutscher Verlag der Wissenschaften, Berlin, 1971).
P. Van Hentenryck and T. Graf, Standard forms for rational linear arithmetics in Constraint Logic Programming, in:Int. Symp. on Artificial Intelligence and Mathematics, Fort Lauderdale, Florida (January 1990); Also ECRC internal Report IR-LP-2217.
P. Van Hentenryck and J.L. Imbert, On redundant constraints in solved forms for linear rational arithmetics, forthcoming.
P. Voda, The constraint language trilogy: semantics and computations, Technical report, Complete Logic Systems, North Vancouver, BC, Canada (1988).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This paper is a revised and extended version of [19]. Part of this work was done while the authors were at ECRC, Munich (Germany).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Van Hentenryck, P., Graf, T. Standard forms for rational linear arithmetic in constraint logic programming. Ann Math Artif Intell 5, 303–319 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01543480
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01543480