The Mathematics of

Graphs
JUDY – ANN A. LANGRES
LESSON 1: Graph and
Euler’s Circuit
The Mathematics of Graphs
 Graph

A graph is a set of points called vertices and line

segments called edges that connect vertices.
EXAMPLES OF GRAPHS
Graph
 CONSTRUCTING GRAPHS

To construct graphs, the vertices are designated

by dots and the edges are designated by lines.
CONSTRUCTING GRAPHS

Draw the graph representing the

information. Represent the vertex with
the name of the student and the line
that connects corresponding students .
 Analysis
1. Who is involved in the most study groups with the others?
2. Who is involved in only one study group with the others?
Connected and Disconnected Graph
 Graphs
• Null Graphs
Graphs can contain vertices that are not connected to any edge.
• Multiple edges
Two or more edges that connected to the same vertices.
• Loops
Edges that loop back to the same vertex .
Connected and Disconnected Graph
 Graphs
• Complete Graph
A complete graph is a connected graph is which every possible
edge is drawn between vertices, without any multiple edges.
• Equivalent graphs
Equivalent graphs have edges forming the same connections of
vertices in each graph.
COMPLETE GRAPHS
 EULER CIRCUIT
• Königsberg bridges problem
 PATH
• A Path in a graph is a sequence of edges that begins at a vertex of a graph
and travels along edges of the graph, always connecting pairs of adjacent
vertices.

If a path ends at the same vertex at which it started, it is considered a closed path
or circuit.
 PATH AND CIRCUIT
Take a look at the graph below, the sequence of edges with vertices
A–D–F–G–E–B–A is a circuit because it begins and ends at the same vertex.
However, the path A–D–F–G–E–H is not a circuit, as it begins with vertex A
and end at vertex H.
 PATH AND CIRCUIT
Take a look at the graph below,
the sequence of edges with vertices
A–D–F–G–E–B–A
A–D–F–G–E–H
 EULER PATHS AND CIRCUITS

• An Euler path is a path that uses every edge of a graph

exactly once. Euler Path it starts and ends at different vertex.

• An Euler circuit is a circuit that uses every edge of a graph

exactly once.
EULER PATH
 THEOREM
A connected graph 𝐺 is Eulerian if and only if the degree of each
vertex of 𝐺 is even.

Remark: A connected graph with exactly two odd vertices has

at least one Euler path but no Euler circuit. Each Euler path
must begin at one of the two odd vertices, and it will end at the
other odd vertex.
EULER CIRCUIT
EULER PATH OR CIRCUIT
VERTEX, EDGE AND DEGREE OF
VERTICES

e f
a b
c
LESSON 2: Weighted and
Isomorphic Graph
 HAMILTONIAN CIRCUIT

A Hamiltonian circuit is a path that begins and

ends at the same vertex and passes through each
vertex of a graph exactly one. A graph that contains
a Hamiltonian circuit is called Hamiltonian.
Hamiltonian or not?
 DIRAC’S THEOREM

Consider a connected graph with at least three

vertices and no multiple edges. Let n be the number
of vertices in the graph. If every vertex has degree
𝑛
of at least , then the graph must be Hamiltonian.
2
 Hamiltonian Circuit

A Hamiltonian circuit can identify a route that visits all of

the cities represented on a graph.
 WEIGHTED GRAPHS

A weighted graph is a graph in which each edge is

associated with a value, called a weight.
The table below lists the distances in miles between six popular cities that a particular
airline flies to. Suppose a traveler would like to start in Chicago, visit the other five
cities this airline flies to, and return to Chicago. Find three different cities that the
traveler could follow and find the total flown for each route.

Chicago New York Washinton Philadelphia Atlanta Dallas

, D.C
Chicago 713 597 665 585 803
New York 713 No flights No flights 748 1374
Washington, 597 No flights No flights 544 1185
D.C
Philadelphia 665 No flights No flights 670 1299
Atlanta 585 748 544 670 No flights
Dallas 803 1374 1185 1299 No
flights
Hamiltonian Circuit in Complete Graph
 The Greedy Algorithm
1. Choose a vertex to start at, then travel along the connected edge that has
the smallest weight. (If two or more edges have the same weight, pick any
one.)
2. After arriving at the next vertex, travel along the edge of smallest weight
that connects to a vertex not yet visited. Continue this process until you
have visited all vertices.
3. Return to the starting vertex.
 The Edge-Picking Algorithm
1. Mark the edge of the smallest weight in the graph. (If two or more edges
have the same weight, pick any one.)
2. Mark the edge of next smallest weight in the graph, as long as it does not
complete a circuit and does not add a third marked edge to as single vertex.
3. Continue this process until you can no longer mark any edges. Then mark
the final edge that completes the Hamiltonian circuit.
 ISOMORPHISM GRAPH

The isomorphism graph can be described as a graph

in which a single graph can have more than one
form. That means two different graphs can have the
same number of edges, vertices, and same edges
connectivity. These types of graphs are known as
isomorphism graphs.
 Conditions for graph isomorphism
• Any two graphs will be known as isomorphism if they satisfy the following four
conditions:
• There will be an equal number of vertices in the given graphs.
• There will be an equal number of edges in the given graphs.
• There will be an equal amount of degree sequence in the given graphs.
• If the first graph is forming a cycle of length k with the help of vertices {v1, v2, v3,
…. vk}, then another graph must also form the same cycle of the same length k
with the help of vertices {v1, v2, v3, …. vk}.
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
LESSON 3: Planar graph
and Euler’s formula
 Planar Graph

A Planar graph is a graph that can be drawn so

that no edges intersect each other.
Planar graph or not?
 NONPLANAR
SUBGRAPH THEOREM
If a graph G has a subgraph that is not a planar, then G is also not planar. In
particular, if G contains the 𝐾5 as a subgraph, G is not planar.

NONPLANAR GRAPH THEOREM

A graph is nonplanar if and only if has the 𝐾5 , as a subgraph, or it has a
subgraph that can be contracted to the 𝐾5 .
 EULER’S FORMULA

In a connected graph drawn with no

intersecting edges, let v be the number of
vertices, e the number of edges, and f the
number of faces. Then
𝑣 + 𝑓 = 𝑒 + 2.
 Planar graph
Examples:

Given: v = 4, e = 6, f = ?
Formula: v + f = e + 2
Solution:
v+f =e+2
f = -v + e + 2

f = -4 + 6 + 2
f =2+2
f =4
LESSON 4: Graph
Coloring
 Coloring Maps

In the mid-1800s, Francis Guthrie was trying to color a

map of the countries of England. So that it would be easier
to distinguish the countries, he wanted countries sharing a
common border to have different colors. After several
attempts he noticed that four colors were required to color
the map, but not more. This observation became known as
the four-color problem.
 FOUR-COLOR THEOREM

Every planar graph is 4-colorable

 The Chromatic Number of a Graph

The minimum number of colors needed to color a graph

so that no edge connects vertices of the same color is
called the chromatic number of the graph.
 2-Colorable Graph Theorem

A graph is 2-colorable if and only if it has no circuits that

consists of an odd number of vertices.
 APPLICATION
A scheduling application of Graph Coloring
Eight different school clubs want to schedule meetings on the last day of the
semester. Some club members, however belong to more than one of these
clubs, so clubs that share members cannot meet at the same time. How many
different time slots are required so that all members can attend all meetings?
Clubs that have a member in common are indicated with an “X” in the table.
 Ski Student Debate Honor Student Community Campus Campus
club government Club Society newspaper outreach Democrats Republic
Ski club X X X X
Student X X X X
government
Debate Club X X X X
Honor X X X X X
Society
Student X X X X
newspaper
Community X X X X X
outreach
Campus X X X
Democrats
Campus X X X
Republic