(definition)
Definition: (1) Any function which is the sum of constants times other constants to the power of the argument: f(x)=Σi=0k cibixpi. (2) In complexity theory, the measure of computation, m(n) (usually execution time or memory space), is bounded by an exponential function of the problem size, n. More formally if there exists k > 1 such that m(n) = Θ(kn) and there exists c such that m(n) = O(cn).
See also logarithmic, linear, polynomial, moderately exponential.
Author: PEB
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Entry modified 17 December 2004.
HTML page formatted Fri Mar 25 16:20:34 2011.
Cite this as:
Paul E. Black, "exponential", in
Dictionary of Algorithms and Data
Structures [online], Paul E. Black, ed.,
U.S. National Institute of
Standards and Technology. 17 December 2004. (accessed TODAY)
Available from: http://www.nist.gov/dads/HTML/exponential.html
