Computational complexity of real functions

Abstract

Recursive analysis, the theory of computation of functions on real numbers, has been studied from various aspects. We investigate the computational complexity of real functions using the methods of recursive function theory. Partial recursive real functions are defined and their domains are characterized as the recursively open sets. We define the time complexity of recursive real continuous functions and show that the time complexity and the modulus of uniform continuity of a function are closely related. We study the complexity of the roots and the differentiability of polynomial time computable real functions. In particular, a polynomial time computable real function may have a root of arbitrarily high complexity and may be nowhere differentiable. The concepts of the space complexity and nondeterministic computation are used to study the complexity of the integrals and the maximum values of real functions. These problems are shown to be related to the “P=?NP” and the “P=?PSPACE” questions.