Lower bounds for cutting planes proofs with small coefficients

Abstract

Abstract We consider small-weight Cutting Planes (CP*) proofs; that is, Cutting Planes (CP) proofs with coefficients up to Poly( n ). We use the well known lower bounds for monotone complexity to prove an exponential lower bound for the length of CP* proofs, for a family of tautologies based on the clique function. Because Resolution is a special case of small-weight CP, our method also gives a new and simpler exponential lower bound for Resolution. We also prove the following two theorems: (1) Tree-like CP* proofs cannot polynomially simulate non-tree-like CP* proofs. (2) Tree-like CP* proofs and Bounded-depth-Frege proofs cannot polynomially simulate each other. Our proofs also work for some generalizations of the CP* proof system. In particular, they work for CP* with a deduction rule, and also for any proof system that allows any formula with small communication complexity, and any set of sound rules of inference.