Resolution with Symmetry Rule applied to Linear Equations (2101.05142v1)

Abstract: This paper considers the length of resolution proofs when using Krishnamurthy's classic symmetry rules. We show that inconsistent linear equation systems of bounded width over a fixed finite field $\mathbb{F}_p$ with $p$ a prime have, in their standard encoding as CNFs, polynomial length resolutions when using the local symmetry rule (SRC-II). As a consequence it follows that the multipede instances for the graph isomorphism problem encoded as CNF formula have polynomial length resolution proofs. This contrasts exponential lower bounds for individualization-refinement algorithms on these graphs. For the Cai-F\"urer-Immerman graphs, for which Tor\'an showed exponential lower bounds for resolution proofs (SAT 2013), we also show that already the global symmetry rule (SRC-I) suffices to allow for polynomial length proofs.