Two-Sided Convexity Testing with Certificates

Abstract

We revisit the problem of property testing for convex position for point sets in ℝ𝑑. Our results draw from previous ideas of Czumaj, Sohler, and Ziegler (2000). First, their testing algorithm is redesigned and its analysis is revised for correctness. Second, its functionality is expanded by (i) exhibiting both negative and positive certificates along with the convexity determination, and (ii) significantly extending the input range for moderate and higher dimensions.The behavior of the randomized tester on input set 𝑃 ⊂ ℝ𝑑 is as follows: (i) if 𝑃 is in convex position, it accepts; (ii) if 𝑃 is far from convex position, with probability at least 2/3, it rejects and outputs a (𝑑 +2)-point witness of non-convexity as a negative certificate; (iii) if 𝑃 is close to convex position, with probability at least 2/3, it accepts and outputs a subset in convex position that is a suitable approximation of the largest subset in convex position. The algorithm examines a sublinear number of points and runs in subquadratic time for every fixed dimension 𝑑.