algorithmanalysisproofs

Proving Big-Theta notation


Hello I've tried my best to understand big-theta and now I get the main conception of the proofs for Big-Oh and Big-Omega but i couldn't find and example that is close to my excercise, because i cant do the proof for that one:

Prove, by exhibiting witnesses, that 4n^2 + 4n = Big-Theta(2n^2 + 32n)

I know that i have to prove it for Big-Oh and Big-Omega in order to prove Big-Theta, but i have no idea how to start. I mean the equation on the right side confuses me.


Solution

  • By the definition of big-theta, you need to show that there exist two constants, k1 and k2, such that for all sufficiently large values of n,

    k1 * |2n^2 + 32n| <= |4n^2 + 4n| <= k2 * |2n^2 + 32n|
    

    (Since your functions are all positive for positive n, you can drop the absolute values.) Just show that each inequality can be satisfied separately and you're done.