title: Why is the term 'reduce' used in the context of NP complexity?
body: <p>Why is the term 'reduce' used when B is at least as hard?</p>
  
  <p>In the context of NP complexity, we say that A is reducible to B in polynomial time, namely, <code>A ≤ B</code> where A is a known hard problem and we try to show that it can be reduced to B, a problem with unknown hardness.</p>
  
  <p>Suppose we prove it successfully, that means that B is <em>at least as hard</em> as A. Then what exactly is reduced? It does not seem to be inline with the meaning of 'reduce' when B is a problem that is harder and less general. </p>