Comment Re:NP Non-deterministic Polynomial (Score 3) 320
Of course, there are two possible outcomes:
1. The algorithm has a flaw and won't work.
2. The problem presented was not NP Complete, but only NP or P.
1. The algorithm has a flaw and won't work.
2. The problem presented was not NP Complete, but only NP or P.
Actually, there's a third possibility, by far the most likely one. The algorithm posed may solve the problem exactly, but still require NP time to do it. That is, the algorithm is right, but the analysis of the algorithm is wrong. I think most stories about NP=P finally being proven end up this way.
