[#P2572] Smallest variable-order OBDD for the middle bit of six-bit multiplication
Problem. Let \(X=\sum_{i=0}^5 2^i x_i\), \(Y=\sum_{i=0}^5 2^i y_i\), and \(f(x,y)=\lfloor XY/2^5\rfloor\bmod 2\). What is the minimum number of nonterminal nodes in a reduced ordered binary decision diagram for \(f\), minimized over all \(12!\) variable orders?
1Context
The current upper bound is 140 nodes. The optimization has 479001600 raw orders, while every completed order can be independently recounted from its residual truth tables.
2Definitions
Definition 1 (A reduced OBDD merges isomorphic subgraphs and suppresses a test whose two children agree). A reduced OBDD merges isomorphic subgraphs and suppresses a test whose two children agree.
Definition 2 (The two terminal nodes). The two terminal nodes are excluded from the node count.
3What counts as a solution
- Give an order and its reduced OBDD together with a certificate that every variable order needs at least as many nonterminal nodes.
1The answerReproducednot Lean-verified
Answer (The exact minimum is 134 nonterminal nodes). A published table gives 136 nodes including the two sinks, and an exact subset dynamic program independently gives 134 internal nodes.[1]
Verification
The minimum is \[ \boxed{134} \] nonterminal nodes. One optimal variable order is \[ y_3,y_2,y_1,y_0,x_3,x_2,x_4,x_5,x_1,y_4,y_5,x_0. \] The numbers of nodes carrying those labels are \[ 1,2,4,8,13,23,31,18,20,8,4,2, \] whose sum is 134.
Amano's 2010 survey already records the exact small-width table. Its middle bit at operand width 6 is bit 5 under the candidate's zero-based convention. Figure 1 gives 136 as the minimum OBDD size at that width. Definition 1 counts every graph node, including the 0-sink and 1-sink. The middle-product function assumes both values, so both sinks occur. The convention in this candidate excludes them, giving \(136-2=134\). The same figure lists 156 total nodes for the quasi-reduced model, which keeps tests whose two children agree.
The executable certificate regenerates the truth table, evaluates every subset state in the Friedman-Supowit dynamic program, and obtains 134 across all \(12!=479{,}001{,}600\) orders. It finds 96 optimal orders. A separate bottom-up reduction builds the diagram for the displayed order and recounts its 134 nonterminal nodes.
1Records
Notes and companion material
Original intake status. SOLVED in the reviewed TheoremDB packet as of 2026-08-01. A published table gives 136 nodes including the two sinks, and an exact subset dynamic program independently gives 134 internal nodes.
- Each variable order has a unique reduced OBDD, so its node count is an exact, memoizable objective. Reversal, operand exchange, and bit symmetries should be quotiented before branching.
- A lower certificate can store the best attainable residual-function partitions for each order prefix rather than all complete diagrams.
- Fresh exact-title, parameter, source, and corpus searches were completed on 2026-08-01.
Recorded example 1. The order y_0,y_1,y_2,y_3,x_3,x_2,x_4,x_5,x_0,y_4,y_5,x_1 gives a 140-node reduced OBDD.
Computational notes
- Exhaustive enumeration of every variable order gave exact minima 2, 6, 12, and 29 nodes for operand widths 1, 2, 3, and 4. Twenty thousand seeded orders at width 5 found 61 nodes, and twenty thousand at width 6 found the stated 140-node order; direct bottom-up reduction verified that node count.
How the 2 records connect
ProblemSmallest variable-order OBDD for the middle bit of six-bit multiplication
2See also
- Multiplicative complexity of the six-bit threshold-at-least-three functionboolean functions
- Leaf complexity of six-vertex graph connectivityboolean functions
- Covering radius of the second-order Reed-Muller code RM(2,8)boolean functions
How to cite
TheoremDB contributors, “Smallest variable-order OBDD for the middle bit of six-bit multiplication,” TheoremDB research memory, snapshot of July 24, 2026. https://theoremdb.org/statements/middle-product-bit-obdd-sixThis page as plain text: middle-product-bit-obdd-six.md
This problem includes 2 records joined by 1 typed links, sourced from bulletin.eatcs.org[1], current as of July 24, 2026.
1Lean verification
Lean formalization needed
An informal proof is recorded. A Lean formalization still needs to be attached. TheoremDB Researcher can start from the exact statement and pinned world.
Open TheoremDB ResearcherThe prefilled request prepares the target and checks drafts. It submits the accepted proof and polls verification through any packet-review handoff.
1References
- Packet source. Kazuyuki Amano, Researching the Complexity of Boolean Functions with Computers, Bulletin of the EATCS 101 (June 2010), 64-91: Definition 1 on page 66 counts all nodes; Figure 1 and the exact dynamic-programming discussion on page 67 give minimum OBDD size 136 at operand width 6. Pages 66-67, OBDD node convention and width-six table. ↗journal article · primary source · checked 2026-08-01Source use: original summary.This is the primary or maintained source used to check the formulation, neighboring results, and current research boundary.Also cited at Kazuyuki Amano, Researching the Complexity of Boolean Functions with Computers, Bulletin of the EATCS 101 (June 2010), 64-91: Definition 1 on page 66 counts all nodes; Figure 1 and the exact dynamic-programming discussion on page 67 give minimum OBDD size 136 at operand width 6.For Smallest variable-order OBDD for the middle bit of six-bit multiplication, the reviewed source scope is Kazuyuki Amano, Researching the Complexity of Boolean Functions with Computers, Bulletin of the EATCS 101 (June 2010), 64-91: Definition 1 on page 66 counts all nodes; Figure 1 and the exact dynamic-programming discussion on page 67 give minimum OBDD size 136 at operand width 6. The packet makes no inference beyond that cited scope.Source named by the research packet.
- Steven J. Friedman and Kenneth J. Supowit, Finding the Optimal Variable Ordering for Binary Decision Diagrams, 24th ACM/IEEE Design Automation Conference (1987), Section 2 lemma and Section 3 algorithm; journal version, IEEE Transactions on Computers 39(5), 710-713 (1990), DOI 10.1109/12.53586. Steven J. Friedman and Kenneth J. Supowit, Finding the Optimal Variable Ordering for Binary Decision Diagrams, 24th ACM/IEEE Design Automation Conference (1987), Section 2 lemma and Section 3 algorithm; journal version, IEEE Transactions on Computers 39(5), 710-713 (1990), DOI 10.1109/12.53586. ↗proceedings article · primary source · checked 2026-08-01Source use: original summary.For Smallest variable-order OBDD for the middle bit of six-bit multiplication: Standard-library Python applies the Friedman-Supowit recurrence to all variable subsets and verifies an optimal diagram by direct reduction.
Finite variable-order optimization with canonical reduced diagrams and exact node counts.