3SAT to CLIQUE reduction
For a 3CNF formula with m clauses, make a vertex for each literal occurrence.
Key knowledge
For a 3CNF formula with m clauses, make a vertex for each literal occurrence. Join occurrences from different clauses unless their literals are complementary. The formula is satisfiable exactly when the graph has a clique of size m: choose one true occurrence per clause; conversely the clique's consistent literals extend to an assignment.
Conditions and scope
- No edges join occurrences in the same clause, so an m-clique selects one per clause.
- Construction is polynomial; CLIQUE membership in NP follows by checking all edges among the nominated vertices. NP-hardness uses the established NP-completeness of 3SAT.
Sources · 1
References
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Evidence and review
CS2112 graph-recitation slides 15–17: problem definitions and graph construction; both implication directions checked explicitly.
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