Complete solution for the rainbow numbers of matchings

For a given graph H and a positive n, the rainbow number ofH, denoted by rb(n,H), is the minimum integer k so that in any edge-coloring of K_n with k colors there is a copy of H whose edges have distinct colors. In 2004, Schiermeyer determined rb(n,kK₂) for all n≥3k+3. The case for smaller values of n (namely, ) remained generally open. In this paper we extend Schiermeyer’s result to all plausible n and hence determine the rainbow number of matchings.     

Vertex-disjoint rainbow triangles in edge-colored graphs

Let $G$ be an edge-colored graph of order $n$. The minimum color degree of $G$, denoted by ${\delta }^c\left(G\right)$, is the largest integer $k$ such that for every vertex $v$, there are at least $k$ distinct colors on edges incident to $v$. We say that an edge-colored graph is rainbow if all its edges have different colors. In this paper, we consider vertex-disjoint rainbow triangles in edge-colored graphs. Li (2013) showed that if ${\delta }^c\left(G\right)\ge (n+1)∕2$, then $G$ contains a rainbow triangle and the lower bound is tight. Motivated by this result, we prove that if $n\ge 20$ and ${\delta }^c\left(G\right)\ge (n+2)∕2$, then $G$ contains two vertex-disjoint rainbow triangles. In particular, we conjecture that if ${\delta }^c\left(G\right)\ge (n+k)∕2$, then $G$ contains $k$ vertex-disjoint rainbow triangles. For any integer $k\ge 2$, we show that if $n\ge 16k-12$ and ${\delta }^c\left(G\right)\ge n∕2+k-1$, then $G$ contains $k$ vertex-disjoint rainbow triangles. Moreover, we provide sufficient conditions for the existence of $k$ edge-disjoint rainbow triangles.     

The rainbow number of matchings in regular bipartite graphs

Given a graph G and a subgraph H of G, let rb(G,H) be the minimum number r for which any edge-coloring of G with r colors has a rainbow subgraph H. The number rb(G,H) is called the rainbow number of H with respect to G. Denote as mK₂ a matching of size m and as B_n,k the set of all the k-regular bipartite graphs with bipartition (X,Y) such that X=Y=n and k≤n. Let k,m,n be given positive integers, where k≥3, m≥2 and n>3(m−1). We show that for every GB_n,k, rb(G,mK₂)=k(m−2)+2. We also determine the rainbow numbers of matchings in paths and cycles.     

On 2-Factors with Prescribed Properties in a Bipartite Graph

Liu and Yan gave the degree condition for a balanced bipartite graph G = （V1, V2; E） to have k vertex-disjoint quadrilaterals containing any given k independent edges e1,……, ek of G, respectively. They also conjectured that for any k independent edges e1,……, ek of G, G has a 2-factor with k cycles C1, C2, ……, Ck with respect to {e1, e2,……, ek} such that k - 1 of them are quadrilaterals. In this paper, we prove this conjecture.     

Rainbow number of matchings in planar graphs

The rainbow number$rb(G,H)$ for the graph $H$ in $G$ is defined to be the minimum integer $c$ such that any $c$-edge-coloring of $G$ contains a rainbow $H$. As one of the most important structures in graphs, the rainbow number of matchings has drawn much attention and has been extensively studied. Jendrol et al. initiated the rainbow number of matchings in planar graphs and they obtained bounds for the rainbow number of the matching $k{K}_2$ in the plane triangulations, where the gap between the lower and upper bounds is $O\left(k^3\right)$. In this paper, we show that the rainbow number of the matching $k{K}_2$ in maximal outerplanar graphs of order $n$ is $n+O\left(k\right)$. Using this technique, we show that the rainbow number of the matching $k{K}_2$ in some subfamilies of plane triangulations of order $n$ is $2n+O\left(k\right)$. The gaps between our lower and upper bounds are only $O\left(k\right)$.     

On the spanning connectivity of the generalized Petersen graphs P(n,3)

In this paper, we employed lattice model to describe the three internally vertex-disjoint paths that span the vertex set of the generalized Petersen graph $P(n,3)$. We showed that the $P(n,3)$ is 3-spanning connected for odd $n$. Based on the lattice model, five amalgamated and one extension mechanisms are introduced to recursively establish the 3-spanning connectivity of the $P(n,3)$. In each amalgamated mechanism, a particular lattice trail was amalgamated with the lattice trails that was dismembered, transferred, or extended from parts of the lattice trails for $P(n?6,3)$, where a lattice tail is a trail in the lattice model that represents a path in $P(n,3)$.     

Degree conditions for the partition of a graph into cycles, edges and isolated vertices

Let k,n be integers with 2≤k≤n, and let G be a graph of order n. We prove that if max{d_G(x),d_G(y)}≥(n−k+1)/2 for any x,y∈V(G) with x≠y and xy∉E(G), then G has k vertex-disjoint subgraphs H₁,…,H_k such that V(H₁)∪?∪V(H_k)=V(G) and H_i is a cycle or K₁ or K₂ for each 1≤i≤k, unless k=2 and G=C₅, or k=3 and G=K₁∪C₅.     

On the number of rainbow spanning trees in edge-colored complete graphs

A spanning tree of a properly edge-colored complete graph, $K_n$, is rainbow provided that each of its edges receives a distinct color. In 1996, Brualdi and Hollingsworth conjectured that if $K_{2m}$ is properly $(2m?1)$-edge-colored, then the edges of $K_{2m}$ can be partitioned into $m$ rainbow spanning trees except when $m=2$. By means of an explicit, constructive approach, in this paper we construct $?\sqrt{6m+9}∕3?$ mutually edge-disjoint rainbow spanning trees for any positive value of $m$. Not only are the rainbow trees produced, but also some structure of each rainbow spanning tree is determined in the process. This improves upon best constructive result to date in the literature which produces exactly three rainbow trees.     

Polynomial algorithm for sharp upper bound of rainbow connection number of maximal outerplanar graphs

For a finite simple edge-colored connected graph G (the coloring may not be proper), a rainbow path in G is a path without two edges colored the same; G is rainbow connected if for any two vertices of G, there is a rainbow path connecting them. Rainbow connection number, rc(G), of G is the minimum number of colors needed to color its edges such that G is rainbow connected. Chakraborty et al. (2011) [5] proved that computing rc(G) is NP-hard and deciding if rc(G)=2 is NP-complete. When edges of G are colored with fixed number k of colors, Kratochvil [6] proposed a question: what is the complexity of deciding whether G is rainbow connected? is this an FPT problem? In this paper, we prove that any maximal outerplanar graph is k rainbow connected for suitably large k and can be given a rainbow coloring in polynomial time.