Academic Year 2023/2024 Semester 2

Tutorial/Lab 7 (27 March 2024)

Instructions:
The objectives of Tutorial/Lab 7 are:
(i) Objective 1: Learn how to calculate reciprocity ratio.
(ii) Objective 2: Figure out node connectivity, cut vertex, line connectivity and cut edge.
(iii) Objective 3: Understand strong triadic closure property as well as strong and weak ties.
(iv) Objective 4: Understand structural balance as well as positive and negative ties.

Q1. Mr Champion is deciding which 4 sportsmen and sportswomen to send for the leadership
camp. As the 8 of them are very competent, he thinks of drawing lots. After choosing, he
constructs the new subnetwork comprising 4 of them, maintaining all original relationships
among them.

(i) Explain the possibility of the new subnetwork (comprising 4 of them) exhibiting a
reciprocity ratio of “0”. Please draw the subnetwork if there exists a possibility.
(ii) Explain the possibility of the new subnetwork (comprising 4 of them) exhibiting a
reciprocity ratio of “1”. Please draw the subnetwork if there exists a possibility.

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Q2. In a military exercise, the fortresses and outposts are well connected with field telephones
and lines. Please determine
(i) the node connectivity κ & cut vertex (if any)
(ii) the line connectivity λ & cut edge (if any)

Q3. Mr Bridge loves London and draws the following network. Please determine
(i) the node connectivity κ & cut vertex (if any)
(ii) the line connectivity λ & cut edge (if any)

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Q4. When ASEAN was first established on 8 August 1967, there were 5 countries (Singapore,
Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, and Indonesia). A historian asks his students (Mr Utopia, Mr
Uncertain, Mr United, and Mr Unsure) what is the likely historical relationship prior to the
event. As they are too young to know, they hazard a guess.

(i) Please explain whether the networks suggested by Mr Utopia and Mr Uncertain violate the
strong triadic closure property. If it does violate, please list the node(s).
(ii) Please explain whether the networks suggested by Mr United and Mr Unsure violate the
structural balance property.
(iii) The historian tries to map out a more complete historical relationship (see below). Please
explain whether the 5 “?”s can be all positive, all negative or 3 positive and 2 negative.

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Q5. 14 members (nodes a to n) are vying for the leadership in the Hainanese Clan Association.
(i) If their original relationships are as depicted, please explain whether the network violates
the strong triadic closure property. If it does violate, please list the node(s).

(ii) Due to the forthcoming election, these 14 members have become divided into factions,
exhibiting either positive ties or negative ties towards one another. To satisfy structural balance
property, please explain whether the 6 links labelled “?” must be “positive”, “negative” or can
be either.

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Q6. An interrogator is trying to figure out the relationships among 9 delinquents. They initially
claim that all their ties are antagonistic (negative ties). However, an informant tells him that
there are at least 2 pairs of positive relationships among 3 delinquents. He hence draws these 4
sets of potential relationships though there can be other possibilities.
(i) Please indicate whether each of the following violates structural balance property.

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(ii) The interrogator soon realizes that all the 9 delinquents actually know one another and
exhibit either strong or weak ties. Please help him figure out the maximum and minimum
number of strong ties there can be (out of a total of 12 ties) so that the network does not violate
the strong triadic closure property. Please indicate “S” (strong) or “W” (weak) for each of the
ties in the figure below.

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Q7. 21 friends (nodes A to U) attend a course with activities on team bonding as some of their
ties have gone weak or amiss over the years. Below is their current state of relationship.
(i) Please explain whether the network violates the strong triadic closure property. If it does
violate, please list the node(s).

(ii) The 21 friends also decide to watch a soccer match between Manchester United and
Liverpool. As they are fans of different soccer clubs, they become positive or negative towards
one another (just during the match). Please explain whether the 2 links (D-K and K-R) which
are labelled “?”s can be “both positive” or “both negative”.

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(iii) Node U has 5 colleagues (nodes V to Z) connected by a total of 9 links, either positively
or negatively (see Figure). As there are many possibilities in assigning the positive and negative
links, please figure out the maximum number of negative links there can be (out of a total of 9
links) so that the colleague network satisfies the structural balance property. Please also figure
out the minimum number of negative links there can be (out of a total of 9 links) so that the
colleague network satisfies the structural balance property.

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Q8. Mr Unity, the head coach for baseball, has selected 9 players for the combined schools
team to represent Singapore in an overseas U18 game.
(i) As the 9 players (nodes) are the best sportsmen selected from different schools, he is worried
that their prior competitiveness might have created some animosity (negative ties) among them.
Please help him figure out the maximum number of negative ties there can be (out of a total of
13 ties) so that the network does not violate the structural balance property. Please indicate “+”
(positive) or “-” (negative) for each of the ties in the figure below.
(ii) Within a few weeks of training together, Mr Unity has successfully rid them of all
animosity. Instead, they now only exhibit strong and weak ties. Please help him figure out the
maximum number of strong ties there can be (out of a total of 13 ties) so that the network does
not violate the strong triadic closure property. Please indicate “S” (strong) or “W” (weak) for
each of the ties in the figure below.

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Q9. A coach has identified 8 athletes (nodes) to participate in a tug-of-war competition. Their
relationships (ties) are depicted (see Figure). As he is new to these athletes, he is uncertain
about their actual relationships, i.e., positive or negative, strong or weak.
(i) To prepare for the worse-case scenario, he wonders what the maximum number of negative
ties that can exist among these athletes is. Please help him figure out the maximum number of
negative ties there can be (out of a total of 9 ties) so that the network does not violate the
structural balance property. Please indicate “+” (positive) or “-” (negative) for each of the ties
in the figure below.
(ii) To prepare for the best-case scenario, he wonders what the maximum number of strong ties
that can exist among these athletes is. Please help him figure out the maximum number of
strong ties there can be (out of a total of 9 ties) so that the network does not violate the strong
triadic closure property. Please indicate “S” (strong) or “W” (weak) for each of the ties in the
figure below.

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(iii) After a few weeks of training, the coach finally figures out their actual (original)
relationships. If the relationships within the network satisfies the structural balance property,
all the nodes can be divided into set X and set Y, such that every pair of nodes in a set is positive
about each other, whereas everyone in one set is negative about everyone in the other set. Please
kindly assign all the nodes to the correct sets (set X or Set Y) below.

MAIN OBJECTIVE IS TO LEARN, FEEL FREE TO DISCUSS WITH FRIENDS!

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