I heard a few times that if we allow computations with infinite precision, we could have unrealistic powers of computation up to the point of solving NP problems efficiently.
Is it true? If yes:
- what is the model of computations used to define infinitely precise arithmetic? Like do we need to assume that accessing to the n-th digit of a number can be done in constant time and that operations between two numbers is done in constant time? (Otherwise I guess it would be possible to efficiently simulate this in classical computer using lazy arithmetic.)
- given this model of computation, how would you use it to break NP complete problems?
- is it possible to approximate physically such model, for instance in an analogic way considering the (unrealistic) assumption that there is no noise?