Proximity results and faster algorithms for Integer Programming using the Steinitz Lemma

Abstract

We consider integer programming problems in standard form $\max \{c^Tx : Ax = b, \, x\geq 0, \, x \in Z^n\}$ where $A \in Z^{m \times n}$, $b \in Z^m$ and $c \in Z^n$. We show that such an integer program can be solved in time $(m \Delta)^{O(m)} \cdot \|b\|_\infty^2$, where $\Delta$ is an upper bound on each absolute value of an entry in $A$. This improves upon the longstanding best bound of Papadimitriou (1981) of $(m\cdot \Delta)^{O(m^2)}$, where in addition, the absolute values of the entries of $b$ also need to be bounded by $\Delta$. Our result relies on a lemma of Steinitz that states that a set of vectors in $R^m$ that is contained in the unit ball of a norm and that sum up to zero can be ordered such that all partial sums are of norm bounded by $m$. We also use the Steinitz lemma to show that the $\ell_1$-distance of an optimal integer and fractional solution, also under the presence of upper bounds on the variables, is bounded by $m \cdot (2\,m \cdot \Delta+1)^m$. Here $\Delta$ is again an upper bound on the absolute values of the entries of $A$. The novel strength of our bound is that it is independent of $n$. We provide evidence for the significance of our bound by applying it to general knapsack problems where we obtain structural and algorithmic results that improve upon the recent literature.