Abstract

We introduce an algebraic proof system that manipulates multilinear arithmetic formulas. We show that this proof system is fairly strong, even when restricted to multilinear arithmetic formulas of a very small depth. Specifically, we show the following: 1. Algebraic proofs manipulating depth 2 multilinear arithmetic formulas polynomially simulate Resolution, Polynomial Calculus (PC) and Polynomial Calculus with Resolution (PCR) proofs; 2. Polynomial size proofs manipulating depth 3 multilinear arithmetic formulas for the functional pigeonhole principle; 3. Polynomial size proofs manipulating depth 3 multilinear arithmetic formulas for Tseitin’s graph tautologies. By known lower bounds, this demonstrates that algebraic proof systems manipulating depth 3 multilinear arithmetic formulas are strictly stronger than Resolution, PC and PCR, and have an exponential gap over bounded-depth Frege for both the functional pigeonhole principle and Tseitin’s graph tautologies.

Citations