Finding Solutions to NP Problems: Philosophical Difference Between Quantum and Evolutionary Search Algorithms

Abstract

There is no known polynomial-time algorithm that can solve an NP problem. Evolutionary search has been shown to be a viable method of finding acceptable solutions within a reasonable time period. Recently quantum computers have surfaced as another alternative method. But these two methods use radically different philosophies for solving NP problems even though both search methods are non-deterministic. This paper uses instances of {\bf SAT}, {\bf 3SAT} and {\bf TSP} to describe how these two methods differ in their approach to solving NP problems.