Algorithms for the Satisfiability Problem (Cambridge Tracts in Theoretical Computer Science)

The satisfiability (SAT) problem is central in mathematical logic and computing theory, representing a core of computationally intractable NP-complete problems. It is a fundamental hurdle in solving many problems in automated reasoning, computer-aided design, computer-aided manufacturing, machine vision, database construction and maintenance, robotics, scheduling, integrated circuit design, computer architecture design, and computer networking. Efficient methods for solving the SAT problem play an important role in the development of practical computing systems. Traditional methods treat SAT as a discrete, constrained decision problem. In recent years, many optimization methods, parallel algorithms, and other practical new techniques have been developed for solving the SAT problem. This book describes these state-of-the-art methods, both sequential and parallel, and discusses tradeoffs and limitations in the rapidly growing field of satisfiability testing. It will be useful for computer theorists, algorithmists, and practitioners working in all areas in computer science, computer engineering, operations research, and applied logic.