Graph Theory Lent 2016

MA316
Exercises 2
(1) Recall the graph Qk defined in Exercise 4 of last week’s homework. Determine
whether Qk is bipartite. Justify your answer!

(2) Prove that the size of a bipartite graph of order n is at most n2 /4.

(3) Prove that if a graph has exactly two vertices of odd degree, then there is a path
from one of them to the other.

(4) Fix an integer k ≥ 2. Let G be a graph such that every vertex has degree k, and
suppose G contains no triangle (that is, K3 is not a subgraph of G).
(a) Prove that G has at least 2k vertices.
(b) Determine all such graphs with exactly 2k vertices.
Hint: If graph G contains no triangle, what can you conclude about the neighbour-
hood N (v) of any vertex v ∈ V (G) ?

(5) Let G be a 4-vertex graph whose list of subgraphs obtained by deleting one vertex
appears below. Determine G.

(6) Prove that a graph is connected if and only if for any partition of its vertices into
two non-empty sets, there is an edge with an endpoint in each set.

(7) Prove that every connected graph has a vertex that is not a cut-vertex.

You must justify the answers to all problems!

These exercises are to be handed in before 12 noon on Monday 25 January, 2016.