Tight Bounds on Proper Equivalence Query Learning of DNF

Lisa Hellerstein, Devorah Kletenik, Linda Sellie and Rocco Servedio JMLR W&CP 23: 31.1 - 31.18, 2012

Abstract

We prove a new structural lemma for partial Boolean functions f, which we call the seed lemma for DNF. Using the lemma, we give the first subexponential algorithm for proper learning of poly(n)-term DNF in Angluin's Equivalence Query (EQ) model. The algorithm has time and query complexity 2^(Õ√n), which is optimal. We also give a new result on certificates for DNF-size, a simple algorithm for properly PAC-learning DNF, and new results on EQ-learning log n-term DNF and decision trees.