ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Semidefinite programming

Semidefinite programming is like playing a game where we have a bunch of objects that we want to arrange in a certain way, but we have some rules that we have to follow. These rules are like a list of instructions that tell us how we can move the objects around.

Now, imagine that we have a special type of objects that we call "matrices." These matrices are like big grids that have numbers in them. And just like with the other objects, we want to arrange them in a certain way, but we have to follow some rules.

These rules are actually mathematical equations that help us figure out how to arrange the matrices. For example, one rule might say that the sum of two matrices has to be another matrix. Another rule might say that the product of two matrices has to be another matrix.

But there's one catch: some of the rules are harder to follow than others. In fact, some of them are so hard that we can't even solve them using regular math! That's where semidefinite programming comes in.

Semidefinite programming is like a special type of math that helps us solve these really hard rules. It's kind of like having a special tool that lets us do things that we couldn't do before.

So imagine that we're playing our game and we come across one of these really hard rules. We can use semidefinite programming to help us figure out how to follow the rule and still arrange our matrices the way we want them. It's like having a secret cheat code that helps us win the game!