Day 1: Map Coloring  

Today we are going to be coloring the different counties of Arizona. 

BUT​ here’s the catch: you want to use the ​least amount of colors​ so 
that ​no bordering counties ​are the same color.   
 
Warm Up 
Take the next ____ minutes to try and find the least amount of colors 
to color the counties by yourself.  
Remember this is a _______________________, so we are not 
looking for the exact solution yet.   
 

   
Group Work 
Now you are going to work with your group mates to try and solve this 
puzzle. Begin by answering the following questions.  
 
1. How many counties are there?  
 
2. How many colors did you use? 
 
3. What was your process? Strategy? Explain in 3 sentences.   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4. Who in your group used the least amount of colors? 
 
 
 
5. What was their process? Strategy? Explain in 3 sentences.   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Use the next few pages to try out different strategies, process, and 
techniques until your group is sure you have used the least amount of 
colors. Be sure to record the processes you are using to color for each 
attempt.  
   
Attempt 1 

 
Describe the Process Used   
Attempt 2 

 
Describe the Process Used   
Attempt 3 

 
Describe the Process Used 
   
Notes 
Write or draw a few notes about what your classmates presented. 
Write at least ____ ideas.   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Exit Ticket 
1. Which explanation did you like best? Why? Explain in at least 5 
sentences.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2. Was your group's answer the same or different? Explain in at 
least 3 sentences.  
 
   
 Day 2: Map Coloring 
Making the “Arizona County”​ ​Graph 
1. Place a dot in each county on your “Last Attempt”  
2. Connect the dots so that countries that are next to each other 
(share a border) share a line. ​Advice​:You may want to find out 
how many counties connect to a given county before marking dots.  
 
Vocabulary 
 
Dots: 
 
Lines: 
 
What do the ___________ (dots) represent? 
 
 
What do the ___________ (lines) represent?  
 
 
Using Technology  
3. Now go to ​https://graphonline.ru/en/ 
4. Recreate the graph you have drawn steps 1 and 2.  
○ Go to “add vertex” and put 15 dots in the white space 
○ Go to “connect vertices” to copy your edges form “Last 
Attempt” 
5. Now go to “Algorithms” and click on “Graph Coloring” 
○ Be sure to keep this tab open since we may use it later for 
“If Time Allows” 
How many colors does the website use?  
 
So, what is the least amount of colors we can use to color the counties 
of Arizona so that counties next to each other do not share a color?     
Below we will use a
​ systematic​ ​approach​ to color the graph by hand.  
How to Color a Graph 
Go back to your “Last Attempt” to complete the following.  
6. Circle the dot with the most lines connected to it in ​green​.  
7. Then circle, in ​green​, the next dot that has the ​most lines 
connected to it ​AND​ i​ s not connected to the dot from step 6    
8. Do number 4 until there are no more dots to circle​ green 
9. Repeat​ steps ​6 to 8​, changing the color you use, until all the dots 
are colored.  
○ Once a dot is circled we do not color it again.   
 
How many different colors did you use?   
 
 
   
If Time Allows: Self Inquiry 
Look up the following words and write, or draw, what they mean.  
 
Eulerian Cycle:  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hamiltonian Cycle:  
 
 
 
 
 
If you wanted to travel to each county (vertex) and then return where 
you started, which would you need to find: Eulerian or Hamiltonian 
Cycle? Why? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Using the website from before (look under “Algorithms” again)…  
Is there a ______________ Cycle?  
 
 
What does that mean?