{"paper":{"title":"Optimal Algorithms for Testing Closeness of Discrete Distributions","license":"http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/","headline":"","cross_cats":["cs.IT","cs.LG","math.IT"],"primary_cat":"cs.DS","authors_text":"Gregory Valiant, Ilias Diakonikolas, Paul Valiant, Siu-on Chan","submitted_at":"2013-08-19T07:45:07Z","abstract_excerpt":"We study the question of closeness testing for two discrete distributions. More precisely, given samples from two distributions $p$ and $q$ over an $n$-element set, we wish to distinguish whether $p=q$ versus $p$ is at least $\\eps$-far from $q$, in either $\\ell_1$ or $\\ell_2$ distance. Batu et al. gave the first sub-linear time algorithms for these problems, which matched the lower bounds of Valiant up to a logarithmic factor in $n$, and a polynomial factor of $\\eps.$\n  In this work, we present simple (and new) testers for both the $\\ell_1$ and $\\ell_2$ settings, with sample complexity that is"},"claims":{"count":0,"items":[],"snapshot_sha256":"258153158e38e3291e3d48162225fcdb2d5a3ed65a07baac614ab91432fd4f57"},"source":{"id":"1308.3946","kind":"arxiv","version":1},"verdict":{"id":null,"model_set":{},"created_at":null,"strongest_claim":"","one_line_summary":"","pipeline_version":null,"weakest_assumption":"","pith_extraction_headline":""},"references":{"count":0,"sample":[],"resolved_work":0,"snapshot_sha256":"258153158e38e3291e3d48162225fcdb2d5a3ed65a07baac614ab91432fd4f57","internal_anchors":0},"formal_canon":{"evidence_count":0,"snapshot_sha256":"258153158e38e3291e3d48162225fcdb2d5a3ed65a07baac614ab91432fd4f57"},"author_claims":{"count":0,"strong_count":0,"snapshot_sha256":"258153158e38e3291e3d48162225fcdb2d5a3ed65a07baac614ab91432fd4f57"},"builder_version":"pith-number-builder-2026-05-17-v1"}