Set cover problem

The amount of coverage problem (often with set -covering problem listed ) is a decision problem in combinatorics.

It asks whether a quantity and partial quantities of a natural number and an association of or fewer subsets exist, corresponding to the amount ( coverage).

Formulated as an optimization problem, a surplus is used to find the smallest possible number of subsets or, if the subsets are associated costs, coverage with the lowest cost.

The amount of coverage problem belongs to the list of 21 classic NP -complete problems of which Richard Karp 1972, the membership was able to show to the class.