Using critical sets to solve the maximum independent set problem

A method that utilizes the polynomially solvable critical independent set problem for solving the maximum independent set problem on graphs with a nonempty critical independent set is developed. The effectiveness of the proposed approach on large graphs with large independence number is demonstrated through extensive numerical experiments.     

Another note on cliques and independent sets

Entringer, Goddard, and Henning studied graphs in which every vertex belongs to both an (m + 1)‐clique and an independent (n + 1)‐set; they proved that there is such a graph of order p if and only if . We give an alternative and slightly easier proof of this fact, relating it to combinatorial matrix theory. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Graph Theory 35: 173–175, 2000     

Polar graphs and maximal independent sets

We study two central problems of algorithmic graph theory: finding maximum and minimum maximal independent sets. Both problems are known to be NP-hard in general. Moreover, they remain NP-hard in many special classes of graphs. For instance, the problem of finding minimum maximal independent sets has been recently proven to be NP-hard in the class of so-called (1,2)-polar graphs. On the other hand, both problems can be solved in polynomial time for (1,1)-polar, also known as split graphs. In this paper, we address the question of distinguishing new classes of graphs admitting polynomial-time solutions for the two problems in question. To this end, we extend the hierarchy of (α,β)-polar graphs and study the computational complexity of the problems on polar graphs of special types.     

Essential independent sets and long cycles

An independent set S of a graph G is said to be essential if S has a pair of vertices that are distance two apart in G. For SV(G) with S≠, let Δ(S)=max{d_G(x)|xS}. We prove the following theorem. Let k2 and let G be a k-connected graph. Suppose that Δ(S)d for every essential independent set S of order k. Then G has a cycle of length at least min{|G|,2d}. This generalizes a result of Fan.     

Random maximal independent sets and the unfriendly theater seating arrangement problem

People arrive one at a time to a theater consisting of m rows of length n. Being unfriendly they choose seats at random so that no one is in front of them, behind them or to either side. What is the expected number of people in the theater when it becomes full, i.e., it cannot accommodate any more unfriendly people? This is equivalent to the random process of generating a maximal independent set of an m×n grid by randomly choosing a node, removing it and its neighbors, and repeating until there are no nodes remaining. The case of m=1 was posed by Freedman and Shepp [D. Freedman, L. Shepp, An unfriendly seating arrangement (problem 62-3), SIAM Rev. 4 (2) (1962) 150] and solved independently by Friedman, Rothman and MacKenzie [H.D. Friedman, D. Rothman, Solution to: An unfriendly seating arrangement (problem 62-3), SIAM Rev. 6 (2) (1964) 180-182; J.K. MacKenzie, Sequential filling of a line by intervals placed at random and its application to linear adsorption, J. Chem. Phys. 37 (4) (1962) 723-728] by proving the asymptotic limit . In this paper we solve the case m=2 and prove the asymptotic limit . In addition, we consider the more general case of m×n grids, m≥1, and prove the existence of asymptotic limits in this general setting. We also make several conjectures based upon Monte Carlo simulations.     

On scrambled sets and a theorem of Kuratowski on independent sets

The measure of scrambled sets of interval self-maps was studied by many authors, including Smítal, Misiurewicz, Bruckner and Hu, and Xiong and Yang. In this note, first we introduce the notion of ``-chaos" which is related to chaos in the sense of Li-Yorke, and we prove a general theorem which is an improvement of a theorem of Kuratowski on independent sets. Second, we apply the result to scrambled sets of higher dimensional cases. In particular, we show that if a map of the unit -cube is -chaotic on , then for any there is a map such that and are topologically conjugate, and has a scrambled set which has Lebesgue measure 1, and hence if , then there is a homeomorphism with a scrambled set satisfying that is an -set in and has Lebesgue measure 1.

     

Recoverable values for independent sets

The notion of recoverable value was advocated in the work of Feige, Immorlica, Mirrokni and Nazerzadeh (APPROX 2009) as a measure of quality for approximation algorithms. There, this concept was applied to facility location problems. In the current work we apply a similar framework to the maximum independent set problem (MIS). We say that an approximation algorithm has recoverable factor ρ, if for every graph it recovers an independent set of size at least where d(v) is the degree of vertex v, and I ranges over all independent sets in G. Hence, in a sense, from every vertex v in the maximum independent set the algorithm recovers a value of at least toward the solution. This quality measure is most effective in graphs in which the maximum independent set is composed of low degree vertices. A simple greedy algorithm achieves . We design a new randomized algorithm for MIS that ensures an expected recoverable factor of at least . In passing, we prove that approximating MIS in graphs with a given k‐coloring within a ratio larger than 2/ k is unique‐games hard. This rules out an alternative approach for obtaining . © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 46, 142–159, 2015     

Measures on independent sets, a quantitative version of Rudin's theorem

We construct measures with independent support whose Fourier coefficients decrease as fast as possible.

     

Maximal independent sets on a grid graph

An independent vertex set of a graph is a set of vertices of the graph in which no two vertices are adjacent, and a maximal independent set is one that is not a proper subset of any other independent set. In this paper we count the number of maximal independent sets of vertices on a complete rectangular grid graph. More precisely, we provide a recursive matrix-relation producing the partition function with respect to the number of vertices. The asymptotic behavior of the maximal hard square entropy constant is also provided. We adapt the state matrix recursion algorithm, recently invented by the author to answer various two-dimensional regular lattice model problems in enumerative combinatorics and statistical mechanics.     

Greedy maximal independent sets via local limits

The random greedy algorithm for finding a maximal independent set in a graph constructs a maximal independent set by inspecting the graph's vertices in a random order, adding the current vertex to the independent set if it is not adjacent to any previously added vertex. In this paper, we present a general framework for computing the asymptotic density of the random greedy independent set for sequences of (possibly random) graphs by employing a notion of local convergence. We use this framework to give straightforward proofs for results on previously studied families of graphs, like paths and binomial random graphs, and to study new ones, like random trees and sparse random planar graphs. We conclude by analysing the random greedy algorithm more closely when the base graph is a tree.     

Enumerating maximal independent sets with applications to graph colouring

We give tight upper bounds on the number of maximal independent sets of size k (and at least k and at most k) in graphs with n vertices. As an application of the proof, we construct improved algorithms for graph colouring and computing the chromatic number of a graph.     

Maximal independent sets in graphs with at most r cycles

We find the maximum number of maximal independent sets in two families of graphs. The first family consists of all graphs with n vertices and at most r cycles. The second family is all graphs of the first family which are connected and satisfy n ≥ 3r. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 53: 270–282, 2006     

Primitivity and independent sets in direct products of vertex‐transitive graphs

We introduce the concept of the primitivity of independent set in vertex‐transitive graphs, and investigate the relationship between the primitivity and the structure of maximum independent sets in direct products of vertex‐transitive graphs. As a consequence of our main results, we positively solve an open problem related to the structure of independent sets in powers of vertex‐transitive graphs. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 67: 218‐225, 2011     

Graphs with the second largest number of maximal independent sets

Let G be a simple undirected graph. Denote by (respectively, xi(G)) the number of maximal (respectively, maximum) independent sets in G. Erd?s and Moser raised the problem of determining the maximum value of among all graphs of order n and the extremal graphs achieving this maximum value. This problem was solved by Moon and Moser. Then it was studied for many special classes of graphs, including trees, forests, bipartite graphs, connected graphs, (connected) triangle-free graphs, (connected) graphs with at most one cycle, and recently, (connected) graphs with at most r cycles. In this paper we determine the second largest value of and xi(G) among all graphs of order n. Moreover, the extremal graphs achieving these values are also determined.     

Finding independent sets in a graph using continuous multivariable polynomial formulations

Two continuous formulations of the maximum independent set problem on a graph G=(V,E) are considered. Both cases involve the maximization of an n-variable polynomial over the n-dimensional hypercube, where n is the number of nodes in G. Two (polynomial) objective functions F(x) and H(x) are considered. Given any solution to x ₀ in the hypercube, we propose two polynomial-time algorithms based on these formulations, for finding maximal independent sets with cardinality greater than or equal to F(x₀) and H(x₀), respectively. A relation between the two approaches is studied and a more general statement for dominating sets is proved. Results of preliminary computational experiments for some of the DIMACS clique benchmark graphs are presented.     

Maximal and maximum independent sets in graphs with at most r cycles

Let m(G) denote the number of maximal independent sets of vertices in a graph G and let c(n,r) be the maximum value of m(G) over all connected graphs with n vertices and at most r cycles. A theorem of Griggs, Grinstead, and Guichard gives a formula for c(n,r) when r is large relative to n, while a theorem of Goh, Koh, Sagan, and Vatter does the same when r is small relative to n. We complete the determination of c(n,r) for all n and r and characterize the extremal graphs. Problems for maximum independent sets are also completely resolved. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 53: 283–314, 2006     

NEIGHBORHOOD UNION OF INDEPENDENT SETS AND HAMILTONICITY OF CLAW-FREE GRAPHS

Let G be a graph,for any u∈V(G),let N(u) denote the neighborhood of u and d(u)=|N(u)| be the degree of u. For any U V(G) ,let N(U)=Uu,∈UN(u), and d(U)=|N(U)|.A graph G is called claw-free if it has no induced subgraph isomorphic to K1.3. One of the fundamental results concerning cycles in claw-free graphs is due to Tian Feng,et al. : Let G be a 2-connected claw-free graph of order n,and d(u) d(v) d(w)≥n-2 for every independent vertex set {u,v,w} of G, then G is Hamiltonian. It is proved that, for any three positive integers s ,t and w,such that if G is a (s t w-1)connected claw-free graph of order n,and d(S) d(T) d(W)＞n-(s t w) for every three disjoint independent vertex sets S,T,W with |S |=s, |T|=t, |W|=w,and S∪T∪W is also independent ,then G is Hamiltonian. Other related results are obtained too.     

Simple and fast surrogate constraint heuristics for the maximum independent set problem

In a recent paper Glover (J. Heuristics 9:175–227, 2003) discussed a variety of surrogate constraint-based heuristics for solving optimization problems in graphs. The key ideas put forth in the paper were illustrated by giving specializations designed for certain covering and coloring problems. In particular, a family of methods designed for the maximum cardinality independent set problem was presented. In this paper we report on the efficiency and effectiveness of these methods based on considerable computational testing carried out on test problems from the literature as well as some new test problems.     

A group extensions approach to relative difference sets

A new approach to (normal) relative difference sets (RDSs) is presented and applied to give a new method for recursively constructing infinite families of semiregular RDSs. Our main result (Theorem 7.1) shows that any metabelian semiregular RDS gives rise to an infinite family of metabelian semiregular RDSs. The new method is applied to identify several new infinite families of non‐abelian semiregular RDSs, and new methods for constructing generalized Hadamard matrices are given. The techniques employed are derived from the general theory of group extensions. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 12: 279–298, 2004.