HVAC Zoning and Pressurization Diagrams

Four Color Map Theorem

Bill Greco
May , 2009

Summary
HVAC Zoning and Pressurization diagrams having five or more areas require a minimum of four colors
or hatch patterns, however four hatch or color patterns is also the maximum required for any plan or
diagram, regardless of the number of areas or segments.

Main
The least number of colors or hatch patterns that is sufficient so that regions with common boudary-line
segments on a plan with five or more rooms or areas are distingushed is known as the Four Color Map
Theorem. The Four Color Map Theorem is a sub set of Graph Theory.
Irrespective of individual size and shape , five areas cannot occupy such positions on a plan that every one
of them will have a border common with all the other four.

Many eminent mathematicians worked on this conjecture including:

Francis Gutherie (1831-1899)
Augustus de Morgan (1806-1871)
Arthur Cayley (1821-1895)
P.J.Heywood (1861-1955)
Gerhard Ringel (1919- )
Kenneth Appel (1932- )
Wolfgang Haken (1928- )
Phillip Franklin (1898-1965)

The conjecture was finally proven in 1976 by Wolfgang Haken and Phillip Franklin of the University of
Illinois, with the assistance of a computer.