QAOA — MaxCut on Small Graphs

Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm: energy landscape, approximation ratio vs p-levels

QAOA Parameters

Max-cut value:
QAOA energy ⟨C⟩:
Approx ratio r:
Best (γ,β):
QAOA circuit:
|ψ(γ,β)⟩ = [U_B(β)U_C(γ)]^p |+⟩^n
Maximize ⟨C⟩ = ∑_{edges} P(cut)

For MaxCut on weighted graph,
p=1 achieves ≥0.6924 × OPT.
Color = expected cut contribution.