CIS 160

Recitation Guide - Week 12

Topics Covered: Planar Graphs, Relations

Problem 1:
Prove that every planar graph is a union of two bipartite spanning subgraphs.
Solution:
Let G be a planar graph. By the Four Color Theorem, G is 4-colorable. Let V1 , V2 , V3 , V4 be a
partition of the vertices of G such that each partition corresponds to one of the 4 colors in the
4-coloring. Let H1 = (V1 ∪ V2 , V3 ∪ V4 , E 0 ), where E 0 is the set of edges between V1 ∪ V2 and V3 ∪ V4 .
Let H2 = (V1 ∪ V3 , V2 ∪ V4 , E 00 ), where E 00 is the set of edges between V1 ∪ V3 and V2 ∪ V4 .
We claim that H1 ∪ H2 = G. Let H1 ∪ H2 have vertex set Vh and edge set Eh . Let G have vertex
set Vg and edge set Eg . To prove H1 ∪ H2 = G, we must show Vh = Vg and Eh = Eg . Since H1
and H2 are subgraphs of G, it is clearly true that Vh ⊆ Vg and Eh ⊆ Eg . Furthermore, Vg ⊆ Vh
since V1 , V2 , V3 , V4 partition Vg and each one of these partitions appears at least once in H1 ∪ H2 .
It remains to show that Eg ⊆ Eh . Let edge e be an arbitrary edge in Eg . We know it must cross
between 2 of V1 , V2 , V3 , V4 (e can’t be between two vertices in the same partition since each partition
corresponds to 1 color in the 4-coloring and two nodes of the same color can’t be adjacent). Upon
inspection, one observes that any pair of partitions Vi , Vj , i 6= j, is included in different sides of at
least one of the two bipartite graphs H1 , H2 . Hence, e must be included in at least one of H1 , H2
and it follows that Eg ⊆ Eh .

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Problem 2:
Define a relation ρ, on the set of all ordered pairs of positive integers such that (x1 , y1 )ρ(x2 , y2 ) if
x1 y2 = x2 y1 . Show that this defines an equivalence relation.
Solution:
To do this, we must show that ρ is reflexive, symmetric, and transitive.

Reflexivity: For any (x1 , y1 ) where x1 , y1 ∈ Z+ , we know x1 y1 = x1 y1 . Thus, ∀x1 , y1 ∈ Z+ ,

(x1 , y1 )ρ(x1 , y1 ).
Symmetry: ∀x1 , y1 , x2 , y2 ∈ Z+ , if (x1 , y1 )ρ(x2 , y2 ), we know that x1 y2 = x2 y1 . Since x2 y1 = x1 y2 ,
(x2 , y2 )ρ(x1 , y1 ).
Transitivity: ∀x1 , y1 , x2 , y2 , x3 , y3 ∈ Z+ , if (x1 , y1 )ρ(x2 , y2 ) and (x2 , y2 )ρ(x3 , y3 ), then:

(x1 , y1 )ρ(x2 , y2 ) (x2 , y2 )ρ(x3 , y3 )

x1 y2 = x2 y1 x 2 y3 = x 3 y2
x1 x2 x2 x3
= =
y1 y2 y2 y3

x1 x3
=
y1 y3
x 1 y3 = x 3 y1
(x1 , y1 )ρ(x3 , y3 )

Since ρ is reflexive, symmetric, and transitive, it is an equivalence relation.

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Problem 3:
Consider a set A with n ≥ 1 elements. We color independently each of the elements of A red with
probability 13 and blue with probability 23 . This determines a partition on A: in one block (the
“blue block”) we have all the blue elements and in the other block (the “red block”) we have all
the red elements. Let ρ be the equivalence relation that corresponds to this partition. Calculate
the expected value of |ρ|.
Solution:
The elements of ρ are ordered pairs (x, y) where x, y ∈ A.
First we examine the case x 6= y. For the pair (x, y) to be in ρ both x and y must be colored
with the same color. Using the independence, the probability that they are both red is ( 31 )( 13 ) = 19 .
Similarly, the probability that they are both blue is ( 23 )( 23 ) = 49 . Since these are disjoint, the
probability that they are colored with the same color is (1/9) + (4/9) = 5/9.
Next we examine the case x = y. In this case (x, y) ∈ ρ by reflexivity. Now define for each
(x, y) ∈ A × A an indicator random variable Xx,y that is 1 when (x, y) ∈ ρ and 0 otherwise. We
have E(Xx,y ) = P ((x, y) ∈ ρ) which equals 5/9 when x 6= y and 1 when x = y. By linearity of
expectation, where we let the sum range over all (x, y) ∈ A × A:
" #
h i X X
E |ρ| = E Xx,y = E[Xx,y ]
x,y x,y
X X
= E[Xx,y ] + E[Xx,x ]
x6=y x
5
= · n(n − 1) + 1 · n
9
n(5n + 4)
=
9