Review….

Ford-Fulkerson algorithm for max-flow: repeatedly

augment flow along paths in the residual graph

If capacities are integers, F-F finds an integer

valued flow

Running time: O((m+n)OPT), where OPT is the

value of the max flow

Correctness?
 Today
1) Prove that Ford-Fulkerson algorithm finds a
maximum flow by proving the Max-Flow Min-Cut
Theorem
Fundamental result in combinatorial optimization
(best know example of duality)
Independently proven in 1956 by Ford and
Fulkerson AND by Elias, Feinstein and Claude
Shannon

2) Bipartite matching
Flows and Cuts are Intimately
Related!

Reference: On the history of the transportation and maximum flow problems.

Alexander Schrijver in Math Programming, 91: 3, 2002.
 Outline

Definitions: s-t cuts and their capacities

Flow value lemma: how to measure a flow

using different s-t cuts in the network

The main event: Max-flow Min-Cut Theorem

 Cuts
An s-t cut is a partition (A, B) of V with s ∈ A and
t ∈ B.
The capacity of a cut (A, B) is: Σ c(e)
e out of A

capacity of A-B cut = 9 + 15 + 8 + 30 = 62

A B
2 9 5

10 4 15 15 10

source s 5 3 8 6 10 t sink

4 6 15 10
15

4 30 7
 Cuts
capacity of cut = 9 + 15 + 8 + 30 = 62
(Capacity is sum of weights on edges leaving A.)

A B
2 9 5

10 4 15 15 10

source s 5 3 8 6 10 t sink

4 6 15 10
15

4 30 7
 Flows and Cuts
Flow value lemma. Let f be any flow, and let (A, B)
be any s-t cut. Then, the net flow sent across the
cut is equal to the amount leaving s.
∑ f(e) - ∑ f(e) = v(f)
e out of A e into A

value = 24 2
9
9 5 B
A 1 0 9
0
10 10 4 15 15 10
4 6 6
source s 5 3 8 6 10 t sink
0
10 4 1 6 15 9
15 10
0
4 7
10 30
 Flows and Cuts
Flow value lemma. Let f be any flow, and let (A, B)
be any s-t cut. Then, the net flow sent across the
cut is equal to the amount leaving s.
∑ f(e) - ∑ f(e) = v(f)
e out of A e into A

9
value = 24 A 2 9 5 B
1 0 9
0
10 10 4 15 15 10
4 6 6
source s 5 3 8 6 10 t sink
0
10 4 1 6 15 9
15 10
0
4 7
10 30
 Flows and Cuts
Flow value lemma. Let f be any flow, and let (A, B)
be any s-t cut. Then, the net flow sent across the
cut is equal to the amount leaving s.
∑ f(e) - ∑ f(e) = v(f)
e out of A e into A

9
value = 24 2 9 5
A 1 0 9
0
10 10 4 15 15 10
4 6 6 B
source s 5 3 8 6 10 t sink
0
10 4 1 6 15 9
15 10
0
4 7
10 30
 Flows and Cuts

Another interpretation: we can measure the value

of a flow by selecting any s-t cut, and looking at
the net flow crossing the cut.
 Proof
Flow value lemma. Let f be any flow, and let (A, B) be
any s-t cut. Then ∑ f(e) - ∑ f(e) = v(f).
e out of A e into A

Proof on board.
 Important Corollary!
Flow value lemma. Let f be any flow, and let (A, B)
be any s-t cut. Then ∑ f(e) - ∑ f(e) = v(f).
e out of A e into A

Corollary. Let f be any flow, and let (A, B) be any s-t

cut. Then v(f) ≤ c(A, B).

(See examples on previous slides)

Proof as exercise
 Important Corollary!

Corollary. Let f be any flow, and let (A, B) be any

s-t cut. Then v(f) ≤ c(A, B).

Interpretation: every cut gives an upper bound on

the value of every flow, and hence the value of
the maximum flow

What is the best (i.e. smallest) upper bound?

 Minimum Cut Problem
Find an s-t cut of minimum capacity.
capacity = 10 + 8 + 10 = 28

2 9 5
A
10 4 15 15 10

source s 5 3 8 6 10 t sink

4 6 15 10
15

4 30 7
 Max-Flow Min-Cut
Theorem
Theorem: Let f be a flow such that there are no s-t
paths in the residual graph Gf. Let (A, B) be the s-t
cut where A contains the nodes reachable from s in
Gf, and B = V-A. Then v(f) = C(A, B), and f is a
maximum flow and (A,B) is a minimum cut.

Corollary: Ford-Fulkerson returns a maximum flow.

Corollary: In any flow network, the value of the max

flow is equal to the capacity of the min cut.
 Proof

Proof on board
 Min-Cut

Another corollary: given a maximum flow, we can

find a minimum cut in O(m+n) time.

How?
 Finding Min Cut
0
2 4 4

G: 0 0 0
10 2 0 8 6 0 10

0 0 0
s 10 3 9 5 10 t

Flow value = 0
 Finding Min Cut
3
2 4 4

G 10 7 9
10 2 0 8 6 6 10

9 9 10
s 10 3 9 5 10 t

maximum flow = 19
3

2 1 4
Gf 10 9

2 7 6 1

1
s 1 3 5 t

9 9 10
Ford-Fulkerson Wrap-Up
We’ve now shown that F-F:
(1) runs in O((m+n)OPT) time → pseudo-polynomial
(2) finds an integer-valued flow (if capacities are
integers)
(3) finds a maximum flow

By choosing good augmenting paths, F-F can be improved

to run O(m2 log C) time, where C is the capacity of any
cut, and hence an upper bound on OPT → polynomial

Other max-flow algorithms run in O(n2m) or O(n3) time →

strongly polynomial
OK! But what are they
good for???
Matching.
Matching
Input: undirected graph G = (V, E).
M ⊆ E is a matching if each node appears in at most 1
edge in M.
Max matching: find a max cardinality matching.
 Bipartite Matching
Bipartite matching.
Input: undirected, bipartite graph G = (L ∪ R, E).
M ⊆ E is a matching if each node appears in at most
1 edge in M.
Max matching: find a max cardinality matching.
1 1'
matching
2 2' 1-2', 3-1', 4-5'

3 3'
Is this the max
matching?
4 4'

L 5 5' R
 Bipartite Matching
Bipartite matching.
Input: undirected, bipartite graph G = (L ∪ R, E).
M ⊆ E is a matching if each node appears in at most
1 edge in M.
Max matching: find a max cardinality matching.
1 1'

max matching
2 2'

1-1', 2-2', 3-3'

3 3'
4-5'

4 4'

L 5 5' R
 Bipartite Matching
Max flow formulation.
Direct all edges from L to R and assign capacity
of 1.
1
1 1'
1
2
1 2'

1
1
3 3'

1 1
4
1 4'
1
1
L 5 5' R
 Bipartite Matching
Max flow formulation.
Add source s, and unit capacity edges from s to
each node in L.
1
1 1'
1
1
1 1 2 2'

1
1 1
s 3 3'

1 1 1
4
1 4'
1 1
1
L 5 5' R
 Bipartite Matching
Max flow formulation.
Add sink t, and unit capacity edges from each
node in R to t.
1
1 1'
1
1 1
1 1 2 2' 1
1
1 1 1
s 3 3' t

1 1 1 1
4
1 4'
1 1 1
1
L 5 5' R
 Bipartite Matching
Max flow formulation.
Solve max flow problem.
Claim: edges between L and R with flow = 1
identify max matching.
1
1 1'
1
1 1
1 1 2 2' 1
1
1 1 1
s 3 3' t

1 1 1 1
4
1 4'
1 1 1
1
L 5 5' R
 Proof

Show there is a bijection between a matching

M in the original graph, and a flow f in the
new graph, and that v(f) = |M|.

Thus, a maximum flow is a maximum matching.

Details: exercise
 Next Time

More flow applications!