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In covering rough set theory, the basic problem is the calculation of lower and upper approximations for subsets of a covering approximation space. For a covering approximation space with a large cardinal, using definitions to calculate approximations would be tedious and complicated. So it is important to investigate matrix methods by which calculations will become algorithmic and can be easily implemented by computers. Since the covering in a covering approximation space can be represented by a Boolean matrix, every covering rough approximation operator must be closely related to this matrix. In this paper, we investigated 32 pairs of neighborhood-based dual lower and upper approximation operators and successfully obtained all the matrix representations of them. Some examples were presented in the manuscript to illustrate how to use matrix methods to compute lower and upper approximations and examples were also given to solve the inverse problem, i.e., finding all the subsets whose lower or upper approximation is a given subset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The variable precision rough set model and graded rough set model are 2 important extended rough set models. This paper aims to make a comparative study of the 2 models. Rough set regions, primitive notions, are proposed first for the 2 models, which classify the universe more precisely. Then, both of their logical meanings related to quantitative indexes and their basic structure are investigated, and their precise descriptions are obtained as well. Furthermore, in the graded rough set model, macroscopic and microscopic algorithms are proposed and analyzed to calculate rough set regions; then, the conclusion is drawn that macroscopic and microscopic algorithms have advantages in time and space complexities, respectively, and a medical example is provided to illustrate the rough set regions and the 2 algorithms. In addition, 3 new properties of the 2 models are investigated, which are the results of extending the classical rough set model, i.e. the relationships between approximations and the basic set, the power actions of approximation operators, and the modifications of approximation operator actions on set operations. Finally, the classical rough set model is used to obtain many corresponding results, and moreover, the relationship and transformation between the 2 models is investigated. The study results of this paper have extended and enriched rough set theory from both operator-oriented and set-oriented points of view. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

When arbitrary sets are approximated by more structured sets, it may not be possible to obtain an exact approximation that is equivalent to a given set. Presented here, is a new proposal for a ‘metric’ approach to Rough Sets. We assume some finite measure space is defined on a given universe, and then use it to define various similarity indexes . A set of axioms and the concept of consistency for similarity indexes are also proposed. The core of the paper is a definition of the ‘ optimal ’ or ‘ best ’ approximation with respect to any particular similarity index, and an algorithm to find this optimal approximation by using the Marczewski–Steinhaus Index. This algorithm is also shown to hold for a class of similarity indexes that are consistent with the Marczewski–Steinhaus Index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Covering is a common form of data representation, and covering-based rough sets serve as an efficient technique to process this type of data. However, many important problems such as covering reduction in covering-based rough sets are NP-hard so that most algorithms to solve them are greedy. Matroids provide well-established platforms for greedy algorithm foundation and implementation. Therefore, it is necessary to integrate covering-based rough set with matroid. In this paper, we propose four matroidal structures of coverings and establish their relationships with rough sets. First, four different viewpoints are presented to construct these four matroidal structures of coverings, including 1-rank matroids, bigraphs, upper approximation numbers and transversals. The respective advantages of these four matroidal structures to rough sets are explored. Second, the connections among these four matroidal structures are studied. It is interesting to find that they coincide with each other. Third, a converse view is provided to induce a covering by a matroid. We study the relationship between this induction and the one from a covering to a matroid. Finally, some important concepts of covering-based rough sets, such as approximation operators, are equivalently formulated by these matroidal structures. These interesting results demonstrate the potential to combine covering-based rough sets with matroids. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]