Simple Proof of Hardness of Feedback Vertex Set

The Feedback Vertex Set problem (FVS), where the goal is to find a small subset of vertices that intersects every cycle in an input directed graph, is among the fundamental problems whose approximability is not well understood. One can efficiently find an Õ(logn)factor approximation, and efficient constant-factor approximation is ruled out under the Unique Games Conjecture (UGC). We give a simpler proof that Feedback Vertex Set is hard to approximate within any constant factor, assuming UGC. ACM Classification: F.2.2 AMS Classification: 68W25

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