· · + xk Ak (A , ... , Ak : matrices, x , ... , xk : scalar variables) Determine: det(A) = ? • If one can use randomness, it is easy! Can we do deterministically? −→ P vs BPP (major open problem in complexity theory) • Deep connection to combinatorial optimization and complexity theory [Edmonds, 6 ; Lovász, 8 ; Murota, ] • For some wide class of A (and over C), one can solve it by operator scaling [Gurvits, ] /