Complexity Measures


Lemoine's Measure

For every construction, Émile Lemoine defines its "simplicity" and its "exactitude" to be the total cost of the performed operations, according to the following table:

operation simplicity
cost
exactitude
cost
To place a compass end on a given point. 11
To place a compass end on a given line. 11
To draw a circle when the compass is placed. 10
To place a ruler edge through a given point. 11
To draw a line when the ruler is placed. 10


On page 58 of [3], Coolidge notes:

"Lemoine's criteria are, perhaps, the simplest and easiest to apply; it is hard to imagine anything rougher."

He couldn't be more wrong: our complexity measure (number of lines + number of circles) is much simpler, easier and rougher!

Note that our measure can be given in terms of Lemoine's: it is simply the simplicity minus the exactitude.


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