Independence equivalence classes of paths

The independence equivalence class of a graph G is the set of graphs that have the same independence polynomial as G. A graph whose independence equivalence class contains only itself, up to isomorphism, is independence unique. Beaton, Brown and Cameron [2] showed that paths with an odd number of vertices are independence unique and raised the problem of finding the independence equivalence class of paths with an even number of vertices. The problem is completely solved in this paper.     

Covering the vertices of a graph with cycles of bounded length

Let c_k(G) be the minimum number of elementary cycles of length at most k necessary to cover the vertices of a given graph G. In this work, we bound c_k(G) by a function of the order of G and its independence number.     

The independence polynomial of rooted products of graphs

A stable (or independent) set in a graph is a set of pairwise nonadjacent vertices thereof. The stability numberα(G) is the maximum size of stable sets in a graph G. The independence polynomial of G is

     

Independence polynomials of circulants with an application to music

The independence polynomial of a graph G is the generating function I(G,x)=∑_k≥0i_kx^k, where i_k is the number of independent sets of cardinality k in G. We show that the problem of evaluating the independence polynomial of a graph at any fixed non-zero number is intractable, even when restricted to circulants. We provide a formula for the independence polynomial of a certain family of circulants, and its complement. As an application, we derive a formula for the number of chords in an n-tet musical system (one where the ratio of frequencies in a semitone is 2^1/n) without ‘close’ pitch classes.     

An application of Vizing and Vizing-like adjacency lemmas to Vizing’s Independence Number Conjecture of edge chromatic critical graphs

In 1968, Vizing conjectured that, if G is a Δ-critical graph with n vertices, then , where α(G) is the independence number of G. In this note, we apply Vizing and Vizing-like adjacency lemmas to this problem and obtain better bounds for Δ∈{7,…,19}.     

Chromatic coloring with a maximum color class

Let G be any graph, and also let Δ(G), χ(G) and α(G) denote the maximum degree, the chromatic number and the independence number of G, respectively. A chromatic coloring of G is a proper coloring of G using χ(G) colors. A color class in a proper coloring of G is maximum if it has size α(G). In this paper, we prove that if a graph G (not necessarily connected) satisfies χ(G)≥Δ(G), then there exists a chromatic coloring of G in which some color class is maximum. This cannot be guaranteed if χ(G)<Δ(G). We shall also give some other extensions.     

Free actions on handlebodies

The equivalence (or weak equivalence) classes of orientation-preserving free actions of a finite group G on an orientable three-dimensional handlebody of genus g?1 can be enumerated in terms of sets of generators of G. They correspond to the equivalence classes of generating n-vectors of elements of G, where n=1+(g−1)/|G|, under Nielsen equivalence (or weak Nielsen equivalence). For Abelian and dihedral G, this allows a complete determination of the equivalence and weak equivalence classes of actions for all genera. Additional information is obtained for other classes of groups. For all G, there is only one equivalence class of actions on the genus g handlebody if g is at least 1+?(G)|G|, where ?(G) is the maximal length of a chain of subgroups of G. There is a stabilization process that sends an equivalence class of actions to an equivalence class of actions on a higher genus, and some results about its effects are obtained.     

A note on Vizing's independence number conjecture of edge chromatic critical graphs

In 1968, Vizing conjectured that, if G is a Δ-critical graph with n vertices, then α(G)?n/2, where α(G) is the independence number of G. In this note, we verify this conjecture for n?2Δ.     

On vector variational-like inequalities and vector optimization problems with (<Emphasis Type="Italic">G</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis>)-invexity

The aim of this paper is to study the relationship among Minty vector variational-like inequality problem, Stampacchia vector variational-like inequality problem and vector optimization problem involving (G, α)-invex functions. Furthermore, we establish equivalence among the solutions of weak formulations of Minty vector variational-like inequality problem, Stampacchia vector variational-like inequality problem and weak efficient solution of vector optimization problem under the assumption of (G, α)-invex functions. Examples are provided to elucidate our results.     

The Erd?s-Lovász Tihany conjecture for quasi-line graphs

Erd?s and Lovász conjectured in 1968 that for every graph G with χ(G)>ω(G) and any two integers s,t≥2 with s+t=χ(G)+1, there is a partition (S,T) of the vertex set V(G) such that χ(G[S])≥s and χ(G[T])≥t. Except for a few cases, this conjecture is still unsolved. In this note we prove the conjecture for quasi-line graphs and for graphs with independence number 2.     

A DESCRIPTION OF NORMAL SEMIGROUPS OF ENDOMORPHISMS OF PROPER INDEPENDENCE ALGEBRAS

Let A be a strong independence algebra of finite rank with at most one constant, and let G he the group of automorphisms of A. Let α be a singular endomorphism of α^G = 〈{α} U G〉. We describe the elements of α^G and give additional characterisations when A is a proper independence algebra and G is a periodic group.     

Well-covered graphs and factors

A maximum independent set of vertices in a graph is a set of pairwise nonadjacent vertices of largest cardinality α. Plummer [Some covering concepts in graphs, J. Combin. Theory 8 (1970) 91-98] defined a graph to be well-covered, if every independent set is contained in a maximum independent set of G. Every well-covered graph G without isolated vertices has a perfect [1,2]-factor F_G, i.e. a spanning subgraph such that each component is 1-regular or 2-regular. Here, we characterize all well-covered graphs G satisfying α(G)=α(F_G) for some perfect [1,2]-factor F_G. This class contains all well-covered graphs G without isolated vertices of order n with α?(n-1)/2, and in particular all very well-covered graphs.     

Covering graphs by the minimum number of equivalence relations

An equivalence graph is a vertex disjoint union of complete graphs. For a graphG, let eq(G) be the minimum number of equivalence subgraphs ofG needed to cover all edges ofG. Similarly, let cc(G) be the minimum number of complete subgraphs ofG needed to cover all its edges. LetH be a graph onn vertices with maximal degree ≦d (and minimal degree ≧1), and letG= \(\bar H\) be its complement. We show that $$\log _2 n - \log _2 d \leqq eq(G) \leqq cc(G) \leqq 2e^2 (d + 1)^2 \log _e n.$$ The lower bound is proved by multilinear techniques (exterior algebra), and its assertion for the complement of ann-cycle settles a problem of Frankl. The upper bound is proved by probabilistic arguments, and it generalizes results of de Caen, Gregory and Pullman.     

Partitioning 2-edge-colored graphs by monochromatic paths and cycles

We present results on partitioning the vertices of 2-edge-colored graphs into monochromatic paths and cycles. We prove asymptotically the two-color case of a conjecture of Sárközy: the vertex set of every 2-edge-colored graph can be partitioned into at most 2α(G) monochromatic cycles, where α(G) denotes the independence number of G. Another direction, emerged recently from a conjecture of Schelp, is to consider colorings of graphs with given minimum degree. We prove that apart from o(|V (G)|) vertices, the vertex set of any 2-edge-colored graph G with minimum degree at least \(\tfrac{{(1 + \varepsilon )3|V(G)|}} {4}\) can be covered by the vertices of two vertex disjoint monochromatic cycles of distinct colors. Finally, under the assumption that \(\bar G\) does not contain a fixed bipartite graph H, we show that in every 2-edge-coloring of G, |V (G)| ? c(H) vertices can be covered by two vertex disjoint paths of different colors, where c(H) is a constant depending only on H. In particular, we prove that c(C ₄)=1, which is best possible.     

Independence roots and independence fractals of certain graphs

The independence polynomial of a graph G is the polynomial ∑i _k x ^k , where i _k denote the number of independent sets of cardinality k in G. In this paper, we obtain the relationships between the independence polynomial of path P _n and cycle C _n with Jacobsthal polynomial. We find all roots of Jacobsthal polynomial. As a consequence, the roots of independence polynomial of the family {P _n } and {C _n } are real and dense in $(-\infty,-\frac{1}{4}]$ . Also we investigate the independence fractals or independence attractors of paths, cycles, wheels and certain trees.     

Analytic complexity: Gauge pseudogroup,its orbits,and differential invariants

All characteristics of analytic complexity of functions are invariant under a certain natural action (gauge pseudogroup G). For the action of the pseudogroup G, differential invariants are constructed and the equivalence problem is solved. Functions of two as well as of a greater number of variables are considered. Questions for further analysis are posed.     

On NP-hardness of the clique partition—Independence number gap recognition and related problems

We show that for a graph G it is NP-hard to decide whether its independence number α(G) equals its clique partition number even when some minimum clique partition of G is given. This implies that any α(G)-upper bound provably better than is NP-hard to compute.To establish this result we use a reduction of the quasigroup completion problem (QCP, known to be NP-complete) to the maximum independent set problem. A QCP instance is satisfiable if and only if the independence number α(G) of the graph obtained within the reduction is equal to the number of holes h in the QCP instance. At the same time, the inequality always holds. Thus, QCP is satisfiable if and only if . Computing the Lovász number ?(G) we can detect QCP unsatisfiability at least when . In the other cases QCP reduces to gap recognition, with one minimum clique partition of G known.     

A basic elementary extension of the Duchet-Meyniel theorem

The Conjecture of Hadwiger implies that the Hadwiger number h times the independence number α of a graph is at least the number of vertices n of the graph. In 1982 Duchet and Meyniel [P. Duchet, H. Meyniel, On Hadwiger’s number and the stability number, Ann. of Discrete Math. 13 (1982) 71-74] proved a weak version of the inequality, replacing the independence number α by 2α−1, that is,

(2α−1)⋅h≥n.