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Topics Covered
Graph Theory – Fall 2009
New definitions are in bold and key topics covered are in a bulleted list.
This schedule is approximate and subject to change!

          Weeks 1 & 2 — Introduction (3 classes)

9/1, pp. 1–12: graph, vertex, edge, finite graph, multiple edges, loop, simple graph, adjacent, neighbors, incident, endpoint, degree, degree sum, isolated vertex, leaf, end vertex, degree sequence, graphic, Havel-Hakimi algorithm

  • Syllabus discussion.
  • What is a graph?
  • How to describe a graph.
  • Degree sequence of a graph.
  • Theorem 1.1.2.

9/3 pp. 13–15 & 19–23: path graph Pn, cycle Cn, complete graph Kn, bipartite graph, complete bipartite graph Km,n, wheel graph Wn, star graph Stn, cube graph, Petersen graph, Grotzsch graph, Platonic solid, Schlegel diagram, Tetrahedron, Cube, Octahedron, Dodecahedron, Icosahedron

  • Proof of Theorem 1.1.2.
  • A dictionary of graphs.
  • Schlegel diagrams of Platonic solids.

9/8 pp. 16–18 & 24: equal graphs, isomorphic graphs, disjoint union, union, graph complement, self-complementary graph, subgraph, induced subgraph, proper subgraph,

  • When are two graphs the same?
  • Smaller graphs from larger graphs.
  • Groupwork on definitions.

9/10: Discussion of Homework 2

          Weeks 3 & 4 — Connectivity (3 classes)

9/15: pp. 25–28: path in G from a to b, connected graph, connected component, tree, forest,

  • Groupwork discussion.
  • Connected graphs and connected components
  • Theorem 1.3.1
  • Lemma A. If there is a path from a to b in G and a path from b to c in G, then there is a path from a to c in G.
  • Remark: If you remove an edge from a cycle, the remaining graph is connected.
  • Lemma B. Let G be a connected graph. Let C be a cycle contained in G. Let e be any edge in C. Then the graph G\e is connected.

9/17: pp. 29–34: k-connected, connectivity κ(G), separating set, cut vertex, k-edge connected, edge connectivity λ(G), disconnecting set, bridge, minimum degree δ(G), maximum degree Δ(G),

  • Trees and forests.
  • Theorems 1.3.2, 1.3.3, and 1.3.5.
  • k-connectivity and k-edge-connectivity

9/22: pp. 35–39: block, H-path, ear, ear decomposition

  • Theorems 2.4.1 and 3.2.1
  • κ(G) ≤ λ(G) ≤ δ(G)
  • Discussion of minimum vs. minimal
  • Properties of blocks
  • Whitney and Menger theorems
  • Characterization of 2-connectivity

          Week 4 — Graph Statistics (2 classes)

9/24: pp. 40–43: vertex cover, clique number ω(G), girth g(G), distance d(x,y), diameter diam(G), independent set, independence number α(G), vertex cover, size of minimum vertex cover β(G),

  • Cliques, girth.
  • Worksheet on statistics of graphs

10/1: Discussion of Homework 4

10/6:

  • Discussion of worksheet on statistics of graphs

          Weeks 6 & 7 — Coloring graphs (2 classes)

10/8: pp. 44–48: (proper) coloring, chromatic number, critical graph

  • Proper colorings, chromatic number.
  • Lemma C. If H is a subgraph of G, and chi(H)=k, then chi(G)>=k.
  • Cliques and their relation to chromatic number.
  • Critical graphs, Thms 2.1.1-2.1.2.
  • Critical graphs, Thms 2.1.3-2.1.4.
  • Groupwork: the chromatic number of Gr.

10/13: pp. 49–55 bipartite, edge coloring, proper edge coloring, edge chromatic number, snark, turning trick

  • Bipartite graphs, Thm 2.1.6.
  • edge coloring, proper edge coloring, edge chromatic number.
  • Thms 2.2.1-2.2.2
  • Snarks
  • Turning trick.
  • Line graph of a graph

10/15: Discussion of Homework 6

10/22: Question and Answer session

10/24: Midterm Exam

          Weeks 9–10 — Cycles and Circuits (3 classes)

10/27: pp. 56–63 Decomposition, Hamiltonian cycle

  • Decomposition of a graph into smaller graphs
  • A snark has no Hamiltonian cycle.
  • If G has a Hamiltonian cycle, then kappa(G) >= 2 and kappa'(G) >= 2.
  • Hamiltonian cycle decomposition of Kn.

10/29: pp. 64–72 (closed) knight's tour, walk, trail, path, open, closed, circuit, cycle, loop, Eulerian circuit, Eulerian Trail

  • Knight's tours.
  • Vocabulary of pseudographs.
  • Eulerian circuits.

11/3: pp. 73–83 Eulerian circuit, Eulerian Trail, sequence, binary sequence, de Bruijn sequence, de Bruijn graph

  • Thm 3.1.2. Even degrees implies Eulerian.
  • Eulerian Trails.
  • de Bruijn sequences.

          Weeks 10–11 — Planarity (3 classes)

11/5: pp. 84–92 drawing, simple curve, plane drawing, plane graph, planar graph, region, face, outside face, maximal planar, dual graph

  • Planar graphs.
  • Euler's Formula.
  • Maximal planar graphs.
  • dual graph, self-dual graph
  • Maps, normal maps.
  • Four Color Theorem (not proved).
  • History of the four color theorem.

11/10: pp. 93–102 map, normal map, map coloring, deleting a vertex (G\v), deleting an edge (G\e), edge contraction, subdivision, minor

  • Six Color Theorem (proved).
  • Five Color Theorem (proved).
  • Modifications of graphs.
  • Kuratowski's Theorem.

11/12: Discussion of Homework 8

          Weeks 12-14 -- Algorithms (4 classes)

11/17: pp. 103–110 matching, maximal matching, maximum matching, Hungarian Algorithm

  • What is an algorithm?
  • Matchings
  • Maximum Matchings
  • Hungarian Algorithm
  • Voting Methods

11/19: pp. 111–117 stable matching, stable matching algorithm

  • Stable matchings
  • Stable matching algorithm
  • Applications to medical school choice
  • Proof of male-optimality in the Gale-Shapley algorithm
  • Counting matchings in a bipartite graph

11/24: Peer Review of Course Projects

12/1: pp. 118–128 directed graph, network, capacity of an edge, flow, maximum flow, st-edge cut, minimum cut

  • Directed Graphs
  • Max Flow / Min Cut Introduction
  • Ford-Fulkerson theorem
  • Max Flow / Min Cut Algorithm

12/3: pp. 129–136

  • Correctness of Max Flow / Min Cut Algorithm
  • Transshipment problems.
  • Applying Max Flow / Min Cut to solve transshipment problems.
  • Dynamic Networks
  • Course Evaluations

12/8: Discussion of Homework 10

12/10: Question and Answer Session

          Finals Week

EXAM 2, Tuesday, December 15 from 4–6pm


Other fun things in Graph Theory:

Random Graphs
Tutte Polynomial
Hyper Graphs
Extremal Problems
Spanning trees
Edge cuts
Chromatic polynomials
Spectral theory
Incidence and Adjacency matrices
Enumeration of graphs
Minimal spanning trees
Shortest path algorithms

Back to the Graph Theory Home Page.
Christopher HanusaQueens CollegeMathematics Department.