Graph labeling

In the mathematical discipline of graph theory, a graph

labeling is the assignment of labels, traditionally represented by integers, to the edges or vertices, or both, of a
graph.[1]

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1

Formally, given a graph G = (V, E), a vertex labeling is

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3
1
0
4
a function of V to a set of labels. A graph with such a
function dened is called a vertex-labeled graph. Likewise, an edge labeling is a function mapping E to a set of
labels. In this case, G is called an edge-labeled graph.
A graceful labeling. Vertex labels are in black, edge labels in red
When the edge labels are members of an ordered set (e.g.,
the real numbers), it may be called a weighted graph.
tices incident with e. In other words, if e is incident with
vertices labeled k and j, e will be labeled k j . Thus,
a graph G := (V, E) is graceful if and only if there exists an injection that induces a bijection from E to the
positive integers up to E .

When used without qualication, the term labeled graph

generally refers to a vertex-labeled graph with all labels
distinct. Such a graph may equivalently be labeled by the
consecutive integers {1, ..., n}, where n is the number of
vertices in the graph.[1] For many applications, the edges
or vertices are given labels that are meaningful in the associated domain. For example, the edges may be assigned
weights representing the cost of traversing between the
incident vertices.[2]

In his original paper, Rosa proved that all eulerian graphs

with order equivalent to 1 or 2 (mod 4) are not graceful. Whether or not certain families of graphs are graceful is an area of graph theory under extensive study. Arguably, the largest unproven conjecture in Graph Labeling is the Ringel-Kotzig conjecture, which hypothesizes
that all trees are graceful. This has been proven for all
paths, caterpillars, and many other innite families of
trees. Kotzig himself has called the eort to prove the
conjecture a disease.[6]

In the above denition a graph is understood to be a nite undirected simple graph. However, the notion of labeling may be applied to all extensions and generalizations of graphs. For example, in automata theory and
formal language theory it is convenient to consider labeled multigraphs, i.e., a pair of vertices may be connected by several labeled edges.[3]

2.2 Edge-graceful labeling

History

Main article: Edge-graceful labeling

Most graph labelings trace their origins to labelings pre[4]
sented by Alex Rosa in his 1967 paper. Rosa identied
three types of labelings, which he called -, -, and - An edge-graceful labeling on a simple graph (no loops
labelings.[5] -Labelings were later renamed graceful by or multiple edges) on p vertices and q edges is a labelling
of the edges by distinct integers in {1,...,q} such that the
S.W. Golomb and the name has been popular since.
labeling on the vertices induced by labeling a vertex with
the sum of the incident edges taken modulo p assigns all
values from 0 to p1 to the vertices. A graph G is said to
2 Special cases
be edge-graceful if it admits an edge-graceful labeling.

2.1

Edge-graceful labelings were rst introduced by S. Lo in

1985.[7]

Graceful labeling

A necessary condition for a graph to be edge-graceful is

Main article: Graceful labeling
A graph is known as graceful when its vertices are labeled Los condition:
from 0 to E , the size of the graph, and this labeling
induces an edge labeling from 1 to E . For any edge
q(q+1) =p/(p-1)2 mod p
e, e's label is the positive dierence between the two ver1

2.3

Harmonious labelings

A harmonious labeling on a graph G is an injection from

the vertices of G to the group of integers modulo k, where
k is the number of edges of G, that induces a bijection
between the edges of G and the numbers modulo k by
taking the edge label for an edge xy to be the sum of the
labels of the two vertices x, y (mod k). A harmonious
graph is one that has a harmonious labeling. Odd cycles
are harmonious, as is the Petersen graph. It is conjectured
that trees are all harmonious if one vertex label is allowed
to be reused.[8]

2.4

Graph coloring

Graph colorings form a subclass of graph labelings. A

vertex coloring assigns dierent labels to adjacent vertices;
an edge colouring dierent labels to adjacent edges.

2.5

Lucky labeling

A lucky labeling of a graph G is an assignment of positive integers to the vertices of G such that if S(v) denotes
the sum of the labels on the neighbours of v, then S is
a vertex coloring of G. The lucky number of G is the
least k such that G has a lucky labeling with the integers
{1,...,k}.[9]

References

[1] Weisstein, Eric W., Labeled graph, MathWorld.

[2] Dierent Aspects of Coding Theory, by Robert Calderbank (1995) ISBN 0-8218-0379-4, p. 53"
[3] "Developments in Language Theory", Proc. 9th. Internat.Conf., 2005, ISBN 3-540-26546-5, p. 313
[4] Gallian, J. A Dynamic Survey of Graph Labelings, 19962005. The Electronic Journal of Combinatorics.
[5] Rosa, A. On certain valuations of vertices in a graph.
[6] Vietri, Andrea (2008). Sailing towards, and then against,
the graceful tree conjecture: some promiscuous results.
Bull. Inst. Comb. Appl. 53: 3146. ISSN 1183-1278.
Zbl 1163.05007.
[7] Lo, Sheng-Ping (1985). On edge-graceful labelings of
graphs. Proc. Conf., Sundance/Utah 1985. Congressus
Numerantium 50: 231241. Zbl 0597.05054.
[8] Guy (2004) pp.190191
[9] Czerwiski, Sebastian; Grytczuk, Jarosaw; elazny,
Wiktor (2009). Lucky labelings of graphs. Inf. Process. Lett. 109 (18): 10781081. Zbl 1197.05125.

REFERENCES

Rosa, A. (1967). On certain valuations of the vertices of a graph. Theory of Graphs, Int. Symp.
Rome July 1966. Gordon and Breach. pp. 349
355. Zbl 0193.53204.
Gallian, Joseph A. A Dynamic Survey of Graph
Labeling. The Electronic Journal of Combinatorics
(2005). 20 Dec. 2006 .
Guy, Richard K. (2004). Unsolved problems in number theory (3rd ed.). Springer-Verlag. C13. ISBN
0-387-20860-7. Zbl 1058.11001.

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