Sample Answers: Quiz on Matroid

Q1: Prove that the greedy algorithm for any matroid works for
the minimization version also.
Sketch: This had to be answered in two parts. Give an appropriate weight
transformation and then invoke the greedy matroid maximization on the new
weights. One needs to argue why the maximum weight base on the new weight
function is exactly the minimum weight base for the original weight function.
Apply the weight transformation w0 (e) = Wmax w(e), where Wmax is the
maximum weight ground element. Now invoke the greedy matroid maximization
with the weights w0 (.). Let say it returns the maximum weight base Bmax =
{e1 , , ek } with cardinality k. The weight is w0 (Bmax ) = w0 (e1 )+ +w0 (ek ) =
k Wmax {w(e1 ) + + w(ek )} = k Wmax w(Bmax ).
Now we claim that Bmax is also the minimum weight base for the original
weight function w(.). Lets say it is not. So there exists a base B 0 which is
allegedly the minimum weight base for w(.), i.e w(B 0 ) < w(Bmax ). Now since
all bases of a matroid have same cardinality (i.e k in this case) so
w0 (B 0 ) > w0 (Bmax ). This is a contradiction on the optimality of maximum
weight base Bmax for the weight function w0 (.). This we know cant happen as
greedy matroid maximization is optimal. Thus Bmax is indeed the minimum
weight base for the original weight function w(.).
Marking scheme: 5 marks for the correct weight transformation and 5 for
the correct explanation (Note that the phrase all bases of a matroid have
same cardinality is absolutely critical for correct explanation. This is what
makes matroid maximization and minimization equivalent whereas similar kind
of wt transformation would not work for shortest path-longest path in a graph.
Shortest Path is polynomially solvable while Longest Path is NP-Hard).