Merging percolation on Zd and classical random graphs: Phase transition

We study a random graph model which is a superposition of bond percolation on Z^d with parameter p, and a classical random graph G(n,c/n). We show that this model, being a homogeneous random graph, has a natural relation to the so‐called “rank 1 case” of inhomogeneous random graphs. This allows us to use the newly developed theory of inhomogeneous random graphs to describe the phase diagram on the set of parameters c ≥ 0 and 0 ≤ p < p_c, where p_c = p_c(d) is the critical probability for the bond percolation on Z^d. The phase transition is of second order as in the classical random graph. We find the scaled size of the largest connected component in the supercritical regime. We also provide a sharp upper bound for the largest connected component in the subcritical regime. The latter is a new result for inhomogeneous random graphs with unbounded kernels. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2010     

The order of the giant component of random hypergraphs

We establish central and local limit theorems for the number of vertices in the largest component of a random d‐uniform hypergraph H_d(n,p) with edge probability p = c/ , where c > (d ‐ 1)^‐1 is a constant. The proof relies on a new, purely probabilistic approach. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2010     

On the length of the longest subsequence avoiding an arbitrary pattern in a random permutation

We consider the distribution of the length of the longest subsequence avoiding an arbitrary pattern, π, in a random permutation of length n. The well‐studied case of a longest increasing subsequence corresponds to π = 21. We show that there is some constant c_π such that as n →∞ the mean value of this length is asymptotic to and that the distribution of the length is tightly concentrated around its mean. We observe some apparent connections between c_π and the Stanley–Wilf limit of the class of permutations avoiding the pattern π. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2007     

A phase transition phenomenon in a random directed acyclic graph

Let a random directed acyclic graph be defined as being obtained from the random graph G_{n, p} by orienting the edges according to the ordering of vertices. Let γ_n* be the size of the largest (reflexive, transitive) closure of a vertex. For p=c(log n)/n, we prove that, with high probability, γ_n* is asymptotic to n^c log n, 2n(log log n)/log n, and n(1−1/c) depending on whether c<1, c=1, or c>1. We also determine the limiting distribution of the first vertex closure in all three ranges of c. As an application, we show that the expected number of comparable pairs is asymptotic to n^1+c/c log n, ½(n(log log n)/log n)², and ½(n(1−1/c))², respectively. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 18: 164–184, 2001     

Random subgraphs of finite graphs: I. The scaling window under the triangle condition

We study random subgraphs of an arbitrary finite connected transitive graph ?? obtained by independently deleting edges with probability 1 ? p. Let V be the number of vertices in ??, and let Ω be their degree. We define the critical threshold p_c = p_c (??, λ) to be the value of p for which the expected cluster size of a fixed vertex attains the value λV^1/3, where λ is fixed and positive. We show that, for any such model, there is a phase transition at p_c analogous to the phase transition for the random graph, provided that a quantity called the triangle diagram is sufficiently small at the threshold p_c. In particular, we show that the largest cluster inside a scaling window of size |p ? p_c| = Θ(Ω^?1V^?1/3) is of size Θ(V^2/3), while, below this scaling window, it is much smaller, of order O(?^?2 log(V?³)), with ? = Ω(p_c ? p). We also obtain an upper bound O(Ω(p ? p_c)V) for the expected size of the largest cluster above the window. In addition, we define and analyze the percolation probability above the window and show that it is of order Θ(Ω(p ? p_c)). Among the models for which the triangle diagram is small enough to allow us to draw these conclusions are the random graph, the n‐cube and certain Hamming cubes, as well as the spread‐out n‐dimensional torus for n > 6. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2005     

The size Ramsey number of trees with bounded degree

The size Ramsey number r?(G, H) of graphs G and H is the smallest integer r? such that there is a graph F with r? edges and if the edge set of F is red-blue colored, there exists either a red copy of G or a blue copy of H in F. This article shows that r?(T_nd, T_nd) ? c · d² · n and c · n³ ? r?(K_n, T_nd) ? c(d)·n³ log n for every tree T_nd on n vertices. and maximal degree at most d and a complete graph K_n on n vertices. A generalization will be given. Probabilistic method is used throught this paper. © 1993 John Wiley Sons, Inc.     

Equitable coloring of random graphs

An equitable coloring of a graph is a proper vertex coloring such that the sizes of any two color classes differ by at most one. The least positive integer k for which there exists an equitable coloring of a graph G with k colors is said to be the equitable chromatic number of G and is denoted by χ₌(G). The least positive integer k such that for any k′ ≥ k there exists an equitable coloring of a graph G with k′ colors is said to be the equitable chromatic threshold of G and is denoted by χ₌*(G). In this paper, we investigate the asymptotic behavior of these coloring parameters in the probability space G(n,p) of random graphs. We prove that if n^?1/5+? < p < 0.99 for some 0 < ?, then almost surely χ(G(n,p)) ≤ χ₌(G(n,p)) = (1 + o(1))χ(G(n,p)) holds (where χ(G(n,p)) is the ordinary chromatic number of G(n,p)). We also show that there exists a constant C such that if C/n < p < 0.99, then almost surely χ(G(n,p)) ≤ χ₌(G(n,p)) ≤ (2 + o(1))χ(G(n,p)). Concerning the equitable chromatic threshold, we prove that if n^?(1??) < p < 0.99 for some 0 < ?, then almost surely χ(G(n,p)) ≤ χ₌* (G(n,p)) ≤ (2 + o(1))χ(G(n,p)) holds, and if < p < 0.99 for some 0 < ?, then almost surely we have χ(G(n,p)) ≤ χ₌*(G(n,p)) = O_?(χ(G(n,p))). © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2009     

A spectral technique for random satisfiable 3CNF formulas

Let I be a random 3CNF formula generated by choosing a truth assignment ? for variables x₁, x_n uniformly at random and including every clause with i literals set true by ? with probability p_i, independently. We show that for any constants 0 ≤ η₂,η₃ ≤ 1 there is a constant d_min so that for all d ≥ d_min a spectral algorithm similar to the graph coloring algorithm of Alon and Kahale will find a satisfying assignment with high probability for p₁ = d/n², p₂ = η₂d/n², and p₃ = η₃d/n². Appropriately setting the η_i's yields natural distributions on satisfiable 3CNFs, not‐all‐equal‐sat 3CNFs, and exactly‐one‐sat 3CNFs. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2008     

On the ratio of the expected maximum of a martingale and theL p-norm of its last term

For eachp>1, the supremum,S, of the absolute value of a martingale terminating at a random variableX inL _p, satisfiesES≦(Γ(q))^1/q‖X‖_p (q=p(p-1)^-1).The maximum,M, of a mean-zero martingale which starts at zero and terminates atX, satisfiesES≦(Γ(q))^1/q‖X‖_p (q=p(p-1)^-1), whereσ _q is the unique solution of the equationt = ‖Z −t ‖ _q for an exponentially distributed random variableZ with mean 1.σ _p has other characterizations and satisfies lim _p‖ q ^{− 1} σ _q =c withc determined byce ^c+1 = 1. Equalities in (1) and (2) are attainable by appropriate martingales which can be realized as stopped segments of Brownian motion. A presumably new property of the exponential distribution is obtained en route to inequality (2).     

Percolation in Voronoi tilings

We consider a percolation process on a random tiling of ℝ^d into Voronoi cells based on points of a realization of a Poisson process. We prove the existence of a phase transition as the proportion p of open cells is varied and provide estimates for the critical probability p_c. Specifically, we prove that for large d, 2^−d(9d log d)⁻¹ ≤ p_c(d) ≤ C2^−d log d. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2005     

Random and Deterministic Triangle Generation of Three-Dimensional Classical Groups III

Let p₁, p₂, p₃ be primes. This is the final paper in a series of three on the (p₁, p₂, p₃)-generation of the finite projective special unitary and linear groups PSU ₃(pⁿ), PSL ₃(pⁿ), where we say a noncyclic group is (p₁, p₂, p₃)-generated if it is a homomorphic image of the triangle group T_{p1, p2, p3} . This article is concerned with the case where p₁ = 2 and p₂ ≠ p₃. We determine for any primes p₂ ≠ p₃ the prime powers pⁿ such that PSU ₃(pⁿ) (respectively, PSL ₃(pⁿ)) is a quotient of T = T_{2, p2, p3} . We also derive the limit of the probability that a randomly chosen homomorphism in Hom(T, PSU ₃(pⁿ)) (respectively, Hom(T, PSL ₃(pⁿ))) is surjective as pⁿ tends to infinity.     

P. Hall's covering group and embeddings of countable cc-groups

Let A be an elementary abelian group of order at least p ³ acting on a finite p′-group G that is soluble with derived length d. Assume that γ _c (C _G (a)) has exponent dividing m for any a ∈ A ^#. It is proved that there exist {p, d, c, m}-bounded numbers c ₁ and m ₁ such that γ _{c 1} (G) has exponent dividing m ₁.     

Mean-Field Conditions for Percolation on Finite Graphs

Let {G _n } be a sequence of finite transitive graphs with vertex degree d = d(n) and |G _n | = n. Denote by p ^t (v, v) the return probability after t steps of the non-backtracking random walk on G _n . We show that if p ^t (v, v) has quasi-random properties, then critical bond-percolation on G _n behaves as it would on a random graph. More precisely, if $\mathop {\rm {lim\, sup\,}} \limits_{n} n^{1/3} \sum\limits_{t = 1}^{n^{1/3}} {t{\bf p}^t(v,v) < \infty ,}$ then the size of the largest component in p-bond-percolation with ${p =\frac{1+O(n^{-1/3})}{d-1}}Let {G _n } be a sequence of finite transitive graphs with vertex degree d = d(n) and |G _n | = n. Denote by p ^t (v, v) the return probability after t steps of the non-backtracking random walk on G _n . We show that if p ^t (v, v) has quasi-random properties, then critical bond-percolation on G _n behaves as it would on a random graph. More precisely, if

lim sup  n n1/3 ?t = 1n1/3 tpt(v,v) < ￥,\mathop {\rm {lim\, sup\,}} \limits_{n} n^{1/3} \sum\limits_{t = 1}^{n^{1/3}} {t{\bf p}^t(v,v) < \infty ,}      14. Multiparameter acoustic imaging in the born approximation      C. H. Wilcox 《Mathematical Methods in the Applied Sciences》1983,5(1):276-291 Samples of biological tissue are modelled as inhomogeneous fluids with density ?(X) and sound speed c(x) at point x. The samples are contained in the sphere |x| ? δ and it is assumed that ?(x) ? ?0 = 1 and c(x) ? c0 = 1 for |x| ? δ, and |γn(x)| ? 1 and |?γ?(x)| ? 1 where γ?(x) = ?(x) ? 1 and γn(x) = c?2(x) ? 1. The samples are insonified by plane pulses s(x · θ0 – t) where x = |θ0| = 1 and the scattered pulse is shown to have the form |x|?1 es(|x| – t, θ, θ0) in the far field, where x = |x| θ. The response es(τ, θ, θ0) is measurable. The goal of the work is to construct the sample parameters γn and γ? from es(τ, θ, θ0) for suitable choiches of s, θ and θ0. In the limiting case of constant density: γ?(x)? 0 it is shown that Where δ represents the Dirac δ and S2 is the unit sphere |θ| = 1. Analogous formulas, based on two sets of measurements, are derived for the case of variable c(x) and ?(x).      15. Stabbing Simplices by Points and Flats      Boris Bukh  Jiří Matoušek  Gabriel Nivasch 《Discrete and Computational Geometry》2010,43(2):321-338 The following result was proved by Bárány in 1982: For every d≥1, there exists c d >0 such that for every n-point set S in ℝ d , there is a point p∈ℝ d contained in at least c d n d+1−O(n d ) of the d-dimensional simplices spanned by S. We investigate the largest possible value of c d . It was known that c d ≤1/(2 d (d+1)!) (this estimate actually holds for every point set S). We construct sets showing that c d ≤(d+1)−(d+1), and we conjecture that this estimate is tight. The best known lower bound, due to Wagner, is c d ≥γ d :=(d 2+1)/((d+1)!(d+1) d+1); in his method, p can be chosen as any centerpoint of S. We construct n-point sets with a centerpoint that is contained in no more than γ d n d+1+O(n d ) simplices spanned by S, thus showing that the approach using an arbitrary centerpoint cannot be further improved.      16. Point sets with distinct distances      Hanno Lefmann  Torsten Thiele 《Combinatorica》1995,15(3):379-408 For positive integersd andn letf d (n) denote the maximum cardinality of a subset of then d -gird {1,2,...,n} d with distinct mutual euclidean distances. Improving earlier results of Erds and Guy, it will be shown thatf 2 (n)c·n 2/3 and, ford3, thatf d (n)c d ·n 2/3 ·(lnn)1/3, wherec, c d >0 are constants. Also improvements of lower bounds of Erds and Alon on the size of Sidon-sets in {12,222,...,n 2} are given.Furthermore, it will be proven that any set ofn points in the plane contains a subset with distinct mutual distances of sizec 1·n 1/4, and for point sets in genral position, i.e. no three points on a line, of sizec 2·n 1/3 with constantsc 1,c 2>0. To do so, it will be shown that forn points in 2 with distinct distancesd 1,d 2,...,d t , whered i has multiplicitym i , one has i=1 t m i 2 c·n 3.25 for a positive constantc. If then points are in general position, then we prove i=1 t m i 2 c·n 3 for a positive constantc and this bound is tight.Moreover, we give an efficient sequential algorithm for finding a subset of a given set with the desired properties, for example with distinct distances, of size as guaranteed by the probabilistic method under a more general setting.      17. Hermite Interpolation and Sobolev Orthogonality      Esther M. García-Caballero  Teresa E. Pérez  Miguel A. Piñar 《Acta Appl Math》2000,61(1-3):87-99 In this paper, we study orthogonal polynomials with respect to the bilinear form (f, g) S = V(f) A V(g) T + <u, f (N) g (N)V(f) =(f(c 0), f "(c 0), ..., f (n – 1) 0(c 0), ..., f(c p ), f "(c p ), ..., f (n – 1) p(c p )) u is a regular linear functional on the linear space P of real polynomials, c 0, c 1, ..., c p are distinct real numbers, n 0, n 1, ..., n p are positive integer numbers, N=n 0+n 1+...+n p , and A is a N × N real matrix with all its principal submatrices nonsingular. We establish relations with the theory of interpolation and approximation.      18. Perfect matchings in random uniform hypergraphs      Jeong Han Kim 《Random Structures and Algorithms》2003,23(2):111-132 Let ??k(n, p) be the random k‐uniform hypergraph on V = [n] with edge probability p. Motivated by a theorem of Erd?s and Rényi 7 regarding when a random graph G(n, p) = ??2(n, p) has a perfect matching, the following conjecture may be raised. (See J. Schmidt and E. Shamir 16 for a weaker version.) Conjecture. Let k|n for fixed k ≥ 3, and the expected degree d(n, p) = p(). Then (Erd?s and Rényi 7 proved this for G(n, p).) Assuming d(n, p)/n1/2 → ∞, Schmidt and Shamir 16 were able to prove that ??k(n, p) contains a perfect matching with probability 1 ? o(1). Frieze and Janson 8 showed that a weaker condition d(n, p)/n1/3 → ∞ was enough. In this paper, we further weaken the condition to A condition for a similar problem about a perfect triangle packing of G(n, p) is also obtained. A perfect triangle packing of a graph is a collection of vertex disjoint triangles whose union is the entire vertex set. Improving a condition p ≥ cn?2/3+1/15 of Krivelevich 12 , it is shown that if 3|n and p ? n?2/3+1/18, then © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 23: 111–132, 2003      19. Topology of Random 2-Complexes      D. Cohen  A. Costa  M. Farber  T. Kappeler 《Discrete and Computational Geometry》2012,47(1):117-149 We study the Linial–Meshulam model of random two-dimensional simplicial complexes. One of our main results states that for p≪n −1 a random 2-complex Y collapses simplicially to a graph and, in particular, the fundamental group π 1(Y) is free and H 2(Y)=0, asymptotically almost surely. Our other main result gives a precise threshold for collapsibility of a random 2-complex to a graph in a prescribed number of steps. We also prove that, if the probability parameter p satisfies p≫n −1/2+ϵ , where ϵ>0, then an arbitrary finite two-dimensional simplicial complex admits a topological embedding into a random 2-complex, with probability tending to one as n→∞. We also establish several related results; for example, we show that for p<c/n with c<3 the fundamental group of a random 2-complex contains a non-abelian free subgroup. Our method is based on exploiting explicit thresholds (established in the paper) for the existence of simplicial embeddings and immersions of 2-complexes into a random 2-complex.      20. Rank‐width of random graphs      Choongbum Lee  Joonkyung Lee  Sang‐il Oum 《Journal of Graph Theory》2012,70(3):339-347 Rank‐width of a graph G, denoted by rw (G), is a width parameter of graphs introduced by Oum and Seymour [J Combin Theory Ser B 96 (2006), 514–528]. We investigate the asymptotic behavior of rank‐width of a random graph G(n, p). We show that, asymptotically almost surely, (i) if p∈(0, 1) is a constant, then rw (G(n, p)) = ?n/3??O(1), (ii) if , then rw (G(n, p)) = ?1/3??o(n), (iii) if p = c/n and c>1, then rw (G(n, p))?rn for some r = r(c), and (iv) if p?c/n and c81, then rw (G(n, p))?2. As a corollary, we deduce that the tree‐width of G(n, p) is linear in n whenever p = c/n for each c>1, answering a question of Gao [2006]. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory.

Multiparameter acoustic imaging in the born approximation

Samples of biological tissue are modelled as inhomogeneous fluids with density ?(X) and sound speed c(x) at point x. The samples are contained in the sphere |x| ? δ and it is assumed that ?(x) ? ?₀ = 1 and c(x) ? c₀ = 1 for |x| ? δ, and |γ_n(x)| ? 1 and |?γ?(x)| ? 1 where γ?(x) = ?(x) ? 1 and γ_n(x) = c^?2(x) ? 1. The samples are insonified by plane pulses s(x · θ₀ – t) where x = |θ₀| = 1 and the scattered pulse is shown to have the form |x|^?1 e_s(|x| – t, θ, θ₀) in the far field, where x = |x| θ. The response e_s(τ, θ, θ₀) is measurable. The goal of the work is to construct the sample parameters γn and γ? from e_s(τ, θ, θ₀) for suitable choiches of s, θ and θ₀. In the limiting case of constant density: γ?(x)_? 0 it is shown that Where δ represents the Dirac δ and S² is the unit sphere |θ| = 1. Analogous formulas, based on two sets of measurements, are derived for the case of variable c(x) and ?(x).     

Stabbing Simplices by Points and Flats

The following result was proved by Bárány in 1982: For every d≥1, there exists c _d >0 such that for every n-point set S in ℝ ^d , there is a point p∈ℝ ^d contained in at least c _d n ^d+1−O(n ^d ) of the d-dimensional simplices spanned by S. We investigate the largest possible value of c _d . It was known that c _d ≤1/(2 ^d (d+1)!) (this estimate actually holds for every point set S). We construct sets showing that c _d ≤(d+1)^−(d+1), and we conjecture that this estimate is tight. The best known lower bound, due to Wagner, is c _d ≥γ _d :=(d ²+1)/((d+1)!(d+1) ^d+1); in his method, p can be chosen as any centerpoint of S. We construct n-point sets with a centerpoint that is contained in no more than γ _d n ^d+1+O(n ^d ) simplices spanned by S, thus showing that the approach using an arbitrary centerpoint cannot be further improved.     

Point sets with distinct distances

For positive integersd andn letf _d (n) denote the maximum cardinality of a subset of then ^d -gird {1,2,...,n} ^d with distinct mutual euclidean distances. Improving earlier results of Erds and Guy, it will be shown thatf ₂ (n)c·n ^2/3 and, ford3, thatf _d (n)c _d ·n ^2/3 ·(lnn)^1/3, wherec, c _d >0 are constants. Also improvements of lower bounds of Erds and Alon on the size of Sidon-sets in {1²,22²,...,n ²} are given.Furthermore, it will be proven that any set ofn points in the plane contains a subset with distinct mutual distances of sizec ₁·n ^1/4, and for point sets in genral position, i.e. no three points on a line, of sizec ₂·n ^1/3 with constantsc ₁,c ₂>0. To do so, it will be shown that forn points in ² with distinct distancesd ₁,d ₂,...,d _t , whered _i has multiplicitym _i , one has _i=1 ^t m _i ² c·n _3.25 for a positive constantc. If then points are in general position, then we prove _i=1 ^t m _i ² c·n ₃ for a positive constantc and this bound is tight.Moreover, we give an efficient sequential algorithm for finding a subset of a given set with the desired properties, for example with distinct distances, of size as guaranteed by the probabilistic method under a more general setting.     

Hermite Interpolation and Sobolev Orthogonality

In this paper, we study orthogonal polynomials with respect to the bilinear form (f, g) _S = V(f) A V(g) ^T + <u, f ^(N) g ^(N)V(f) =(f(c ₀), f "(c ₀), ..., f ^{(n – 1)} ₀(c ₀), ..., f(c _p ), f "(c _p ), ..., f ^{(n – 1)} _p(c _p )) u is a regular linear functional on the linear space P of real polynomials, c ₀, c ₁, ..., c _p are distinct real numbers, n ₀, n ₁, ..., n _p are positive integer numbers, N=n ₀+n ₁+...+n _p , and A is a N × N real matrix with all its principal submatrices nonsingular. We establish relations with the theory of interpolation and approximation.     

Perfect matchings in random uniform hypergraphs

Let ??_k(n, p) be the random k‐uniform hypergraph on V = [n] with edge probability p. Motivated by a theorem of Erd?s and Rényi 7 regarding when a random graph G(n, p) = ??₂(n, p) has a perfect matching, the following conjecture may be raised. (See J. Schmidt and E. Shamir 16 for a weaker version.) Conjecture. Let k|n for fixed k ≥ 3, and the expected degree d(n, p) = p(). Then (Erd?s and Rényi 7 proved this for G(n, p).) Assuming d(n, p)/n^1/2 → ∞, Schmidt and Shamir 16 were able to prove that ??_k(n, p) contains a perfect matching with probability 1 ? o(1). Frieze and Janson 8 showed that a weaker condition d(n, p)/n^1/3 → ∞ was enough. In this paper, we further weaken the condition to A condition for a similar problem about a perfect triangle packing of G(n, p) is also obtained. A perfect triangle packing of a graph is a collection of vertex disjoint triangles whose union is the entire vertex set. Improving a condition p ≥ cn^?2/3+1/15 of Krivelevich 12 , it is shown that if 3|n and p ? n^?2/3+1/18, then © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 23: 111–132, 2003     

Topology of Random 2-Complexes

We study the Linial–Meshulam model of random two-dimensional simplicial complexes. One of our main results states that for p≪n ⁻¹ a random 2-complex Y collapses simplicially to a graph and, in particular, the fundamental group π ₁(Y) is free and H ₂(Y)=0, asymptotically almost surely. Our other main result gives a precise threshold for collapsibility of a random 2-complex to a graph in a prescribed number of steps. We also prove that, if the probability parameter p satisfies p≫n ^−1/2+ϵ , where ϵ>0, then an arbitrary finite two-dimensional simplicial complex admits a topological embedding into a random 2-complex, with probability tending to one as n→∞. We also establish several related results; for example, we show that for p<c/n with c<3 the fundamental group of a random 2-complex contains a non-abelian free subgroup. Our method is based on exploiting explicit thresholds (established in the paper) for the existence of simplicial embeddings and immersions of 2-complexes into a random 2-complex.     

Rank‐width of random graphs

Rank‐width of a graph G, denoted by rw (G), is a width parameter of graphs introduced by Oum and Seymour [J Combin Theory Ser B 96 (2006), 514–528]. We investigate the asymptotic behavior of rank‐width of a random graph G(n, p). We show that, asymptotically almost surely, (i) if p∈(0, 1) is a constant, then rw (G(n, p)) = ?n/3??O(1), (ii) if , then rw (G(n, p)) = ?1/3??o(n), (iii) if p = c/n and c>1, then rw (G(n, p))?rn for some r = r(c), and (iv) if p?c/n and c81, then rw (G(n, p))?2. As a corollary, we deduce that the tree‐width of G(n, p) is linear in n whenever p = c/n for each c>1, answering a question of Gao [2006]. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory.