Spectral and Structural Control of Convergence in Greedy Max-Cut
We develop a structural framework for analyzing the convergence behavior of the greedy vertex-flip algorithm for the Max-Cut problem. We show that spectral properties of the graph constrain the distribution of local gains and derive quantitative relationships linking maximum gain, total positive gain, and expected improvement under a randomized greedy rule. These results imply that the algorithm cannot sustain stagnation unless all local gains are uniformly small. Using these structural bounds, we establish high-probability guarantees on cumulative improvement and characterize convergence as a two-phase process: a structural phase of forced improvement followed by a terminal low-gain regime. Our results provide a unified perspective connecting spectral graph theory, gain distribution, and stochastic dynamics, yielding new insight into how graph structure governs convergence behavior in greedy Max-Cut.
Authors
- Alexandria Jordan Lee Robinson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-4308-2352)
Institutions
- Education Trust (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
- Published
- 2026-05-11
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20121477
- Primary Topic
- Stochastic Gradient Optimization Techniques
- Type
- preprint