CHAPTER 6: THE MATHEMATICS OF GRAPHS

Graph Theory- is a branch of mathematics that illustrates and analyzes connections.

Graph- is a set of points called vertices and line segments or curves called edges that connect vertices.

Graphs can be used to represent many different scenarios. For instance,

Cardinals New York
White Sox Sn Francisco
Braves Chicago

Yankees Los Angeles

Giants Atlanta
Mets Dallas

Figure 1 Figure 2

The two above figures are same graphs but used in different contexts. In Figure 1, each vertex
represents a baseball team, and edge connecting two vertices might mean that the two teams played
against each other during the current seasons. Figure 2, could represent the flights available on a
particular airline between a selection of cities; each vertex represents a city, and an edge connecting
two cities means that there is a direct flight between the two cities.

Example 1: The following table lists five students at college. An X indicates that two students
participated in the same study group this semester. A.) Which student is involved in the most study
groups with the others? B.) Which student has only one study group in common with the others? C.)
How many study groups does Laura have in common with the others?

Matt Amber Oscar Laura Kayla

Matt - x x
Amber x - x x
Oscar x - x
Laura x x -
Kayla x -

Solution:

We draw five vertices(in any configuration we wish) to represent the five students and connect
vertices with edges according to table.
 Amber A.) Amber is connected to more edges than the
r others. Three than the others.
B.) Kayla is the only student with one study
Matt Oscar group in common, as her vertex is the only
one connected to just one edge.
C.) Laura is connected to two edges, so she
Kayla Laura shares two study groups with the others.

Take note that Vertices are always clearly indicated with a dot. Edges that intersect with no marked vertex
.
are considered to cross over each other without touching.

Multiple Edges- if two edge begins and ends at the same vertex,

Loop-If an edge begins and ends at the same vertex.

A graph is Connected if any vertex can be reached from any other vertex by tracing along edges.

Complete Graph- A connected graph in which every possible edge is drawn between vertices (without
any multiple edges)

This is a connected graph This graph is not This is a complete graph

that has a pair of multiple connected; it consist of with five vertices.
edges. Note that two two different sections. It
edges cross in the center; also contains a loop.
but there is no vertex
there. Unless a dot is
drawn, the edges are
considered to pass over
each other without
touching

Question: Is the following graph a complete graph?

Equivalent Graph- edges form the same connections of vertices.

A
B

A C

B A E
B D C
D
C E C D

Example 1: Determine whether the following two graphs are equivalent.

D C
A B E
E

D C B A

Example 2: Determine whether the following two graphs are equivalent.

C C

D B
A B A D

E E
EULER CIRCUIT
-a circuit that uses every edge, but never uses the same edge twice.

Path- path in a graph can be thought of as a movement from one vertex to another by traversing edges.
Closed Path- If a path ends at the same vertex at which it started, then it is called a closed path.