Binary vs. non-binary constraints

There are two well known transformations from non-binary constraints to binary constraints applicable to constraint satisfaction problems (CSPs) with finite domains: the dual transformation and the hidden (variable) transformation. We perform a detailed formal comparison of these two transformations. Our comparison focuses on two backtracking algorithms that maintain a local consistency property at each node in their search tree: the forward checking and maintaining arc consistency algorithms. We first compare local consistency techniques such as arc consistency in terms of their inferential power when they are applied to the original (non-binary) formulation and to each of its binary transformations. For example, we prove that enforcing arc consistency on the original formulation is equivalent to enforcing it on the hidden transformation. We then extend these results to the two backtracking algorithms. We are able to give either a theoretical bound on how much one formulation is better than another, or examples that show such a bound does not exist. For example, we prove that the performance of the forward checking algorithm applied to the hidden transformation of a problem is within a polynomial bound of the performance of the same algorithm applied to the dual transformation of the problem. Our results can be used to help decide if applying one of these transformations to all (or part) of a constraint satisfaction model would be beneficial.