Testing Fourier Dimensionality and Sparsity

We present a range of new results for testing properties of Boolean functions that are defined in terms of the Fourier spectrum. Broadly speaking, our results show that the property of a Boolean function having a concise Fourier representation is locally testable. We first give an efficient algorithm for testing whether the Fourier spectrum of a Boolean function is supported in a low-dimensional subspace of Fn 2 (equivalently, for testing whether f is a junta over a small number of parities). We next give an efficient algorithm for testing whether a Boolean function has a sparse Fourier spectrum (small number of nonzero coefficients). In both cases we also prove lower bounds showing that any testing algorithm -- even an adaptive one -must have query complexity within a polynomial factor of our algorithms, which are nonadaptive. Finally, we give an "implicit learning" algorithm that lets us test any sub-property of Fourier concision. Our technical contributions include new str...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2009
• Where: ICALP
• Authors: Parikshit Gopalan, Ryan O'Donnell, Rocco A. Servedio, Amir Shpilka, Karl Wimmer
• Keywords: Boolean Function, ICALP 2009, Sparse Boolean Functions, Sparse Fourier Spectrum, Theoretical Computer Science