Terms Related To Graph Theory:
 A loop is an edge connecting a vertex itself.
 If two vertices are connected by more than one
edge, these edge are called multiple edges.
 A graph with no loops and no multiple edges is
called a simple graph.
 A path is an alternating sequence of vertices and
edges. It can be seen as a trip from one vertex to
another using the edges of the graph.
 A graph is connected if there is a path connecting
all the vertices.
 If a path begins and ends with the same vertex, it is
a closed path, or a circuit or cycle.
 Two vertices are adjacent if there is an edge
joining them.
 If every pair of vertices of a graph are adjacent, the
graph is complete. A complete graph with n
vertices is denoted by Kn
 The degree of a vertex is the number of edges
attached to it.
Examples of Graphs
 Null or Disconnected Graph
The graph is null or disconnected since
it has four vertices but no edges. The
degree of each vertex is zero.
 Graph with a Loop
 Graph with Multiple Edges
Both graphs are connected and have a multiple edges
connecting vertices A and B. The degrees of vertices A
and B in G1 are both 3 while that of G2 are both 4.
Complete Graph
A complete graph is a connected graph in which every
possible edge is drawn between vertices. It should not
contain multiple edges.
Let e be the number of edges in a complete graph. From
the previous examples of complete graphs, we have
identified that …
K1: e = 0, degree of the vertex is 0
K2: e = 1, degree of the vertex is 1
K3: e = 3, degree of the vertex is 2
K4: e = 6, degree of the vertex is 3
𝟏
For Kn, e = 𝟐 n (n-1) and for n ≥ 2, the degree is equal
to n – 1.
Example:
How many edges does a graph with 10 vertices have?
What is the degree of each vertex?
Solution:
1
Kn, e = 2 n (n-1)
1
Kn, e = 2 10 (10-1)
Kn, e = 45 edges
Degree = n – 1
= 10 – 1 = 9 (degree of each vertex)
Euler Paths and Circuits
 An Euler Circuit is a closed path (starts and ends at
the same vertex) that uses every edge, but never uses
the same edge twice. The path may cross through
vertices more than once.
 Eulerian Graph Theorem – a connected graph is
Eulerian if and only if every vertex of the graph is of
even degree.
 An Euler Path is a path that uses every edge in the
graph exactly once but it does not start and end at the
same vertex.
 A connected graph contains an Euler Path if and
only if the graph has two vertices of odd degrees with
all other vertices of even degrees. Furthermore, every
path must start at one of the vertices of odd degrees
and end at the other.
Hamiltonian Paths and Circuits
 A Hamiltonian Path is a path that visits each vertex
of the graph exactly once.
 A Hamiltonian Circuit is a path that uses each
vertex of a graph exactly once and returns to the
starting vertex.
 A graph that contains a Hamiltonian circuit is called
Hamiltonian.
In Euler circuits, closed paths use every edge exactly
once, possibly visiting a vertex more than once. On
contrary, in Hamiltonian circuits, paths visit each vertex
exactly once. But unlike the Euler Circuit , where the
Eulerian Graph Theorem is used to determine whether it
contains an Euler circuit or not, there is no straightforward
criterion to determine whether or not a Hamilton circuit
exists in a graph.
In some graphs, the following theorem can help identify
if a graph is Hamiltonian:
- Consider a connected graph with at least 3
vertices and no multiple edges. Let n be the
number of vertices in the graph. If every vertex
𝑛
has degree of at least 2 , then the graph ‘must be’
Hamiltonian.