Network Science

Tutorial 3 - Centrality Measures

Parul Diwakar

M.Tech CSE-24

paruldiwa@iitbhilai.ac.in
QUE1. In a social network, node A has the highest Degree Centrality among all nodes, signifying a
large number of connections. Surprisingly, node A also has the lowest Closeness Centrality in the
network.

Explain how it is possible for node A to have high Degree Centrality but low Closeness Centrality in
the social in uence network. What factors or network structures might contribute to this unusual
combination?
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Ans 1
Few reasons for node A to have high Degree Centrality but
low Closeness Centrality could be:

• Node A can be a part of community where it is highly

connected which may result in high degree centrality but
this community can have few connections to other
communities, that can result in longer path lengths hence
resulting in lower closeness centrality.

• Node A has many connections, but these connections are

mainly with individuals on the outskirts of the network.
Although it has a high degree, these connections don't
provide e cient access to the core of the network,
resulting in a lower closeness centrality.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s42005-022-00949-5/ gures/1
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QUE2. In a transportation network where nodes represent intersections and edges
represent roads, which centrality measure could guide city planners in making
decisions to improve tra c ow.
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 Ans 2.
• City planners can use Betweenness Centrality to identify intersections that, if improved or optimized, could
have a substantial impact on overall tra c ow.

• By focusing on these high-betweenness intersections, planners can implement strategies such as adding
tra c lights, optimizing signal timings, creating dedicated turn lanes, or enhancing overall infrastructure to
alleviate congestion and improve the e ciency of the transportation network.

• Improvements to these critical nodes can lead to more balanced tra c distribution and reduced travel times
throughout the network.
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QUE3. For the given graph, compute the betweenness centrality for each node.
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Ans 3.

Betweenness centrality for each node is

given below

• Node 0 : 3.5
• Node 1: 3.0
• Node 2: 2.0
• Node 3: 0.75
• Node 4: 0.75
• Node 5: 1.0
• Node 6: 2.0
QUE4. compute all four centrality metrics for each node and specify which node is
more central w.r.t each centrality metric.
Ans 4.
1. Degree centrality for each node is given below:
• Node 0 : 2
• Node 1: 3
• Node 2: 3
• Node 3: 3
• Node 4: 3
Central Node = 1, 2, 3, 4

2. Betweenness centrality for each node is given below:

• Node 0 : 0.33
• Node 1: 0.33
• Node 2: 1
• Node 3: 1
• Node 4: 0.33
Central Nodes = 2, 3
Ans 4.
3. Closeness centrality for each node is given below:
• Node 0 : 0.666
• Node 1: 0.8
• Node 2: 0.8
• Node 3: 0.8
• Node 4: 0.8
Central Node = 1, 2, 3, 4

4. Eigenvector centrality for each node is given below:

• Node 0 : 0.5
• Node 1: 0.75
• Node 2: 0.75
• Node 3: 0.75
• Node 4: 0.75
Central Nodes = 1, 2, 3, 4
QUE5. Discuss the impact of removing a node with the highest degree centrality on the
overall connectivity and resilience of a network.

How might the removal of a node with the highest degree centrality di er from the
removal of a node with high betweenness centrality?

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Ans5.
1. Impact of Removing a Node with Highest Degree Centrality:
1. Connectivity: Removing a node with the highest degree centrality disrupts many direct connections,
potentially leading to the isolation of subnetworks. It impacts the overall local connectivity of the network.
2. Resilience: Networks relying heavily on high-degree nodes become vulnerable to targeted attacks.
However, in some networks, redundancy might exist, where other nodes can compensate for the removal,
mitigating the impact.

2. Comparison with Removal of Node with High Betweenness Centrality:

1. Connectivity: Removing a node with high betweenness centrality disrupts communication paths rather
than direct links. It may lead to the isolation of communities within the network.
2. Resilience: The removal impacts shortest paths and the e ciency of information ow. Nodes with high
betweenness centrality play a critical role in maintaining the network's overall resilience and identifying
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