Four Color Theorem Proof

Four Color Theorem The Four Color Theorem states that given any separation of a plane into contiguous regions, producing a figure called a map, no more than four colors are required to color the regions of the map so that no two adjacent regions have the same color. Proof 1. A plane with any number of regions (n) can all share a single point. If the point is construed to mean the regions are touching than the number of colors (C) needed without the same color touching is equal to the number of regions or (C) = (n). 1 6 2

5 4

6 regions = 6 colors

2. A plane divided in (n) regions all sharing a point means that any particular region (r1) will have two and only two adjacent regions, (r2) and (r3). Therefore in a plane with regions sharing a point only three colors are needed without the same colors adjacent to each other. Only two additional colors are needed for the two additional regions to (r1) for a total of three.

(r1) (r2) (r3)

2013 Peter DiDomenica pdidomenica@gmail.com

Four Color Theorem Proof

3. The replacement of the shared point with a new region (r1) separates a region (r2) from all other regions except for the two adjacent regions (r3), (r4) and the new region (r1). Therefore, (r1) + (r2) + (r3) + (r4) = 4 colors. Therefore, a maximum of four colors is needed to color these regions without the same colors being adjacent because the addition of a fifth region (r5) is isolated from one of the previous four regions (r2). Whenever three adjacent regions are all touched by a fourth adjacent region, one of the regions is isolated from any other possible regions on the plane leaving only three exposed regions. This allows for a fourth color to complete the coloring of the newly added fifth region (r5) the same color as the newly isolated region (r2).

(r2) (r3) (r1) (r4)

(r5)

2013 Peter DiDomenica pdidomenica@gmail.com