Title: The Complexity of Graph-Based Reductions for Reachability in Markov Decision Processes,
Abstract: We study the never-worse relation (NWR) for Markov decision processes with an
infinite-horizon reachability objective. A state q is never worse than a state
p if the maximal probability of reaching the target set of states from p is at
most the same value from q, regard- less of the probabilities labelling the
transitions. Extremal-probability states, end components, and essential states
are all special cases of the equivalence relation induced by the NWR. Using the
NWR, states in the same equivalence class can be collapsed. Then, actions
leading to sub- optimal states can be removed. We show the natural decision
problem associated to computing the NWR is coNP-complete. Finally, we ex- tend
a previously known incomplete polynomial-time iterative algorithm to
under-approximate the NWR.