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asymptotic-complexity

Asymptotic comparison of functions


I want to compare following functions asymptotically and then arrange them in the ascending order. Also requested is a proper explanation lg((√n)!), lg(SquareRoot(n!)), SquareRootlg(n!), (lg(√n))!, (SquareRoot(lg n))!, SquareRoot(lg n)!


Solution

  • If you wonder about "general solution" and you follow a lot into asymptotic functions comparisons. Here is what I recommend :

    Use limit definition of BigO notation, once you know:

    f(n) = O(g(n)) iff limit (n approaches +inf) f(n)/g(n) exists and is not +inf
    

    You can use Computer Algebra System, for example opensource Maxima, here is in Maxima documentation about limits .

    So, checking lg(n)*lg(n) = O(sqrt(n)) can be dane is checking limit of (lg(n)lg(n))/sqrt(n) :

    (%i1) limit( (log(n)^2) / (sqrt(n)), n, inf);
    (%o1)                                  0
    

    If you like, longer, more descriptive notation :

    (%i1) f(n) := log(n)^2 ;
                                               2
    (%o1)                           f(n) := log (n)
    (%i2) g(n) := sqrt(n) ;
    (%o2)                           g(n) := sqrt(n)
    (%i3) limit(f(n)/g(n), n, inf);
    (%o3)                                  0