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Monday, April 30, 2012 - 11:30am

Bernd Sturmfels

UC Berkeley

Location

Drexel University

Disque Hall, Room 109

The central curve of a linear program is the algebraic curve along which the interior point algorithms travel. We determine the degree, genus and defining ideal of this curve. These invariants, as well as the total curvature of the curve, are expressed in the combinatorial language of matroid theory. This is joint work with Jesus De Loera and Cynthia Vinzant.