Graph Theory

Homework Assignments: Week-11

Venkateswarlu Gonuguntla (2012307045),
School of Electronics Engineering, College of IT Engineering,
Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea 702-701;
e-mail: venkat@knu.ac.kr

For the exercise B and C let let G be a graph with vertices a and b, and let X ⊆ V (G) \ {a, b} be an a − b separator in G.

A. Find a set S for Theorem 2.2.3 when G is a forest.

Reference: [1] Hint: Decide where the leaves should go: in factor-critical components or in S?
Theorem 2.2.3: Every graph G = (V, E) contains a vertex set S ⊆ V with the following two properties:
1. S is matchable to CG−S
2. Every component of G − S is factor-critical
Given such an S, the graph contains a 1-factor ⇔ |S| = |CG−S |.
Why does this imply Tutte’s theorem? The first property of S implies |S| ≤ |CG−S | and the second condition implies
|CG−S | = q(G − S). Tutte’s condition then implies |CG−S | = q(G − S) ≤ |S|, so |S| = |CG−S |.
Solution:
|S| = 1: Then G − S will be connected. Suppose the single vertex v ∈ S is matched to w of G − S (using Theorem 2.2.3).
Also since G − S is factor critical by Theorem 2.2.3, G − S − w contains a 1-factor, combined with edge vw, we have a
matching in G.
2 ≤ |S| ≤ k − 1: This case is not possible since separation of less than k vertices will leave G − S connected, making it
impossible to satisfy one of the properties of Theorem 2.2.3: S is matchable to G − S.
|S| ≥ k: This gives us a matching by Theorem 2.2.3.

B. Show that X is minimal as an a − b separator if and only if every vertex in X has a neighbor in the component Ca of
G − X containing a, and another in the component Cb of G − X containing b.
Reference: [1] Hint: Recall the definitions of ’separate’ and ’component’.
Solution:
First, there is no path from a node v in X to a node in Ca , consisting of an edge to a node in Cb and then a path to Ca
without going back to X, because there are no edges between Cb and Ca . So, if there is a node v in X that is not adjacent to
some node in Ca , then every path between v and any node in Ca must go through some other node in X. Therefore any path
from a to b that goes through v must contain a node in X − v, contradicting the minimality of X. Hence v must be adjacent
to some node in Ca , and similarly, adjacent to some node in Cb . Conversely, if a node v in X is adjacent to some node in Ca
and some node in Cb , then there would be a path from a to b through v after the removal of only X − v (where certainly the
nodes in Ca (Cb ) would still be in the same connected component). Hence every node in X is required in order to separate a
from b, so X is a minimal a − b separator.

C. Let X 0 ⊆ V (G) \ {a, b} be another aT − b Sseparator, T 0 S and define

T Ca0 and Cb0
0 0
correspondingly.
T S TShowSthat T both Ya := (X Ca ) (X X ) (X Ca ) and Yb :=
(X Cb0 ) (X X 0 ) (X 0 Cb ) separate a from b (see Fig.1).
Reference: [1] Hint: Describe in words what the picture suggests.
Solution:
An (a, b) separator in G is a subset S of nodes whose removal from G disconnects a
and b. That is, If G(S) is the graph resulting from removing S from G, then a and b
are in different connected components of G(S). If X is an a − b separator in G, any Fig. 1. The separators in Exercise C
a − X separator
T in
S G isTalso S
an a-bTseparator of G. From Tthe Fig.1,
S itTis understood
S T that
Ya := (X Ca0 ) (X X 0 ) (X 0 Ca ) and Yb := (X Cb0 ) (X X 0 ) (X 0 Cb )
separate a from b (where Ca and Cb are connected components
T of G(S) that contains a and b respectively. Shaded portion
shows Ya and not shaded portion of X, X 0 and shaded X X 0 combined shows Yb ).

R EFERENCES
[1] R. Diestel, Graph Theory. Springer, 2010.