Investigating the Impact of Quantum Computing on Algorithmic Complexity

Abstract

This paper investigated the transformation that quantum computing brought into algorithmic complexity in the theoretical setting of computer science. This involved the appearance of new paradigm changes brought forth by quantum technologies, imposing on a glance at the performance of quantum algorithms in respect to classical models of computation regarding their effectiveness. Our contributions encompassed key quantum algorithms, specifically Shor's and Grover's algorithms, underlining the performance metrics of those algorithms. The mathematical modeling was supported by simulations using python libraries like Qiskit, which helped analyze the complexities of both algorithm types. From our simulations, it emerged that for smaller sizes of input, classical algorithms executed faster and illustrated their established efficiency. In contrast, quantum computing-algorithms like Grover's and Shor's - performed so much better for larger input sizes, showing potential advantages that may change the face of computational limitations. While promising much, it seemed from our findings that quantum computing would not show a quantum advantage for all computational tasks, because classical algorithms still remained robust and effective for many scenarios. This nuanced understanding underlines how complementary both the classical and quantum approaches are. Therefore, the insights gained through this work provide the basis for investigating where boundaries of computational capabilities evolve and what practical implications are of the integration of quantum technologies into existing systems.