Confluence of algebraic rewriting systems

Convergent rewriting systems on algebraic structures give methods to solve decision problems, to prove coherence results, and to compute homological invariants. These methods are based on higher-dimensional extensions of the critical branching lemma that proves local confluence from confluence of the critical branchings. The analysis of local confluence of rewriting systems on algebraic structures, such as groups or linear algebras, is complicated because of the underlying algebraic axioms. This article introduces the structure of algebraic polygraph modulo that formalizes the interaction between the rules of an algebraic rewriting system and the inherent algebraic axioms, and we show a critical branching lemma for algebraic polygraphs. We deduce a critical branching lemma for rewriting systems on algebraic models whose axioms are specified by convergent modulo rewriting systems. We illustrate our constructions for string, linear, and group rewriting systems.

Improved Descriptional Complexity Results for Simple Semi-Conditional Grammars

A simple semi-conditional (SSC) grammar is a form of regulated rewriting system where the derivations are controlled either by a permitting string alone or by a forbidden string alone and this condition is specified in the rule. The maximum length i (j, resp.) of the permitting (forbidden, resp.) strings serves as a measure of descriptional complexity known as the degree of such grammars. In addition to the degree, the numbers of nonterminals and of conditional rules are also counted into the descriptional complexity measures of these grammars. We improve on some previously obtained results on the computational completeness of SSC grammars by minimizing the number of nonterminals and / or the number of conditional rules for a given degree (i, j). More specifically we prove, using a refined analysis of a normal form for type-0 grammars due to Geffert, that every recursively enumerable language is generated by an SSC grammar of (i) degree (2, 1) with eight conditional rules and nine nonterminals, (ii) degree (3, 1) with seven conditional rules and seven nonterminals (iii) degree (4, 1) with six conditional rules and seven nonterminals and (iv) degree (4, 1) with eight conditional rules and six nonterminals.

Calculation of Fundamental Groups via Computational Paths

We address the question as to how to formalise the concept of computational paths (sequences of rewrites) as equalities between two terms of the same type. The intention is to demonstrate the use of a term rewriting system in performing computations with these computational paths, establishing equalities between equalities, and further higher equalities, in particular, in the calculation of fundamental groups of surfaces such as the circle, the torus and the real projective plane.

Diamond Subgraphs in the Reduction Graph of a One-Rule String Rewriting System

In this paper, we study a certain case of a subgraph isomorphism problem. We consider the Hasse diagram of the lattice Mk (the unique lattice with k + 2 elements and one anti-chain of length k) and find the maximal k for which it is isomorphic to a subgraph of the reduction graph of a given one-rule string rewriting system. We obtain a complete characterization for this problem and show that there is a dichotomy. There are one-rule string rewriting systems for which the maximal such k is 2 and there are cases where there is no maximum. No other intermediate option is possible.

An Automated Approach to the Collatz Conjecture

We explore the Collatz conjecture and its variants through the lens of termination of string rewriting. We construct a rewriting system that simulates the iterated application of the Collatz function on strings corresponding to mixed binary–ternary representations of positive integers. Termination of this rewriting system is equivalent to the Collatz conjecture. To show the feasibility of our approach in proving mathematically interesting statements, we implement a minimal termination prover that uses the automated method of matrix/arctic interpretations and we perform experiments where we obtain proofs of nontrivial weakenings of the Collatz conjecture. Finally, we adapt our rewriting system to show that other open problems in mathematics can also be approached as termination problems for relatively small rewriting systems. Although we do not succeed in proving the Collatz conjecture, we believe that the ideas here represent an interesting new approach.

Classical Logic with n Truth Values as a Symmetric Many-Valued Logic

We introduce Boolean-like algebras of dimension n ($$n{\mathrm {BA}}$$ n BA s) having n constants $${{{\mathsf {e}}}}_1,\ldots ,{{{\mathsf {e}}}}_n$$ e 1 , … , e n , and an $$(n+1)$$ ( n + 1 ) -ary operation q (a “generalised if-then-else”) that induces a decomposition of the algebra into n factors through the so-called n-central elements. Varieties of $$n{\mathrm {BA}}$$ n BA s share many remarkable properties with the variety of Boolean algebras and with primal varieties. The $$n{\mathrm {BA}}$$ n BA s provide the algebraic framework for generalising the classical propositional calculus to the case of n–perfectly symmetric–truth-values. Every finite-valued tabular logic can be embedded into such a n-valued propositional logic, $$n{\mathrm {CL}}$$ n CL , and this embedding preserves validity. We define a confluent and terminating first-order rewriting system for deciding validity in $$n{\mathrm {CL}}$$ n CL , and, via the embeddings, in all the finite tabular logics.