CS201 : Discrete Mathematics

Semester II, 2010-11, CSE, IIT Kanpur

Assignment - 4 (due on 18th April)

Note : Give complete details of the analysis of your solution.

1. Note that the group isomorphism can be extended naturally to ring isomorphism as follows.
Definition: An isomorphism of a ring hR, +, i with a ring hR , , i is a one-to-one and
onto function mapping R onto R such that for all a, b R,
(a + b) = (a) (b)
(a b) = (a) (b)
Prove that
hnZ, +, i is a ring under usual addition and multiplication.
h2Z, +, i is not isomorphic to h3Z, +, i.
2. In the class on 18th March, we gave a brief introduction of an algorithmic process to prove
some results in graph theory. Use a reasoning involving such an algorithmic process to prove
that every graph on n vertices and m edges has a subgraph where minimum degree is at least
( m
n ).
3. girth of a graph is the length of the smallest cycle in the graph. Let k be any positive integer.
(a) For a graph on n vertices where degree of each vertex is at least n1/k , prove that girth
is O(k).
(b) Use the previous exercise to conclude that every graph with n1+1/k edges has girth O(k).
4. In one of the earlier lectures on graph theory, we gave an upper bound on the number of
vertices in terms of the radius and maximum degree of the graph. In this exercise, we wish
to design a lower bound on the number of vertices in terms of some parameters.
Derive the best possible lower bound on the number of vertices of a graph in terms of its girth
g and minimum degree d.
5. As discussed in the class, there are two ways to represent/store a graph. These are Adjacency
lists and Adjacency matrix. Adjacency matrix occupies (n2 ) space which is too large compared to O(m) space occupied by Adjacency list representation. Moreover, for most of the
graph algorithmic problems, the use of Adjacency matrix imposes an overhead of (n2 ) on
the running time of the algorithm. However, there are some exception. One such exception
is Detecting a sink in a graph problem (discussed on 18th March). Here is another very
interesting but challenging exception:
1

A graph on n vertices is a scorpio graph if it has a vertex of degree 1(the sting) connected
to a vertex of degree two (the tail) connected a vertex of degree n 2 (the body) connected
to the other n 3 (the feet). Each foot may be connected to some other feet but it is not
necessary. Design an algorithm that decides whether a given adjacency matrix represents a
scorpion by examining only O(n) entries. An example of scorpio is given in Figure 1.

sting

feet
body

tail

Figure 1: Scorpio graph

6. (a) Consider a n n chess board. For what value of n, is it possible to find a knights
route around the board which uses every possible move just once (in one direction or
the other)?
(b) Show that if a graph has n vertices and more than
hamiltonian.

1
2
2 (n

3n + 4) edges then it is

7. (a) Use Eulers formula to prove that if G is a connected planar graph with girth 5, then
m 5(n 2)/3. Use it to deduce that the graph shown in Figure 2 (also called Petersen
graph) is not planar.

Figure 2: Petersen graph

(b) Obtain an inequality, generalizing that in part (a), for connected planar graph of girth r.
n + 1, where graph G
is complement of graph G.
8. (a) Prove that (G) + (G)
(b) Show by induction on n that the graph described in Figure 3 with 2n vertices has
chromatic polynomial k(k 1)(k2 3k + 3)n1 .

Figure 3: a ladder like Graph with 2n vertices