Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2014/iii/paper-61/2/ii/solution

Let be the orthogonal projection onto the good vector subspace , and let the normalized input be . Set with , and define
Assuming coherent access to the two reflections, the amplitude amplification theorem states that
preserves the plane spanned by and acts as a rotation, giving
Hence the good-outcome probability is . When is known, choose the nearest nonnegative integer to . The resulting angle is within of , so the good probability is at least . For small this is close to one and requires iterations. Exact success occurs when . Known also allows exact amplitude amplification by ancilla qubit dilution or selective phase adjustment when ordinary integer iterations would overshoot.
If has a known coherent preparation, its reflection is implemented with , and a zero-state phase flip. A coherent membership test supplies the reflection about . Merely possessing an unknown copy of does not automatically supply its reflection. For the state is already good; for this two-reflection construction cannot generate a good component. These cases delimit the theorem's algorithmic assumptions.

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