MAT3707 2022: ASSIGNMENT 01

SOLUTIONS

Question 1
Draw two non-isomorphic graphs with degree sequence 3,3,2,1,1,1,1. Explain why your two
graphs are non-isomorphic.

SOLUTION
Two non-isomorphic graphs with degree sequence 3,3,2,1,1,1,1:
For example:

In the first graph the degree 3 vertices are NOT adjacent, in the second graph the degree 3
vertices are adjacent.

Question 2
A graph is said to be r - regular if every vertex has degree r .
(a) Find out whether the complement of a regular graph is regular.
(b) Find, up to isomorphism, all 4 -regular graphs of order 7 .
(Instead of trying to find 4 -regular graphs on 7 vertices, first find complements of 4 -
regular graphs on 7 vertices.)

SOLUTION
(a) Let G be an r - regular on n vertices. Then

deg(v)  r for all v V (G)  deg(v)  (n  1)  r for all v V (G) .

Therefore, the complement of a regular graph is regular.

Open Rubric
(b) We first find complements of 4 -regular graphs on 7 vertices, that is
(7  1)  4  2  regular graphs on 7 vertices. There are only 2 non-isomorphic 2  regular
graphs on 7 vertices:

Hence, 2 non-isomorphic 4 -regular graphs on 7 vertices:

The first graph contains a K3,3 subgraph and the second graph contains a K 2,3 subgraph.
Subgraphs highlighted in orange.

Question 3

(a) Prove that if G  (V1  V2 , E ) is a bipartite graph, then

| E |  deg(v)   deg(v)
vV1 vV2

(b) Use part (a) to prove that if a graph has odd order and is regular of degree r  1 , then it
is not bipartite.

SOLUTION

(a) Since every edge joins in V1 to a vertex in V2 ,

 deg(v)   deg(v) .
vV1 vV2

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By theorem 3.1.1

2 | E |  deg(v)   deg(v)   deg(v)

vG vV1 vV2

 2 | E | 2  deg(v)
vV1

Hence, | E |  deg(v)   deg(v) .

vV1 vV2

(b) Suppose G is an r - regular on n vertices where n is odd.

Assume that G is bipartite with partite sets V1 and V2 . Then, by part (a), and the fact that
for each v V (G),deg(v)  r ,

| E (G ) | rn1  rn2 where n1 | V1 | and n2 | V2 |

 n1  n2 .

So, n1 and n2 are either both even, or both odd.

But, then n  n1  n2 is even, a contradiction.

Therefore, G cannot be bipartite.

Question 4

n(n  1)
(a) Prove that a complete graph with n vertices has edges.
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(b) A graph is self-complementary it is isomorphic to its complement.

(i) Prove that there is no self-complementary graphs of order 3 .

(ii) Give an example of a self-complementary simple graph with 4 and 5 vertices

respectively.

SOLUTION
(a) Let G be a complete graph of order n and size e .
Then

deg(v)  n 1 for all v V (G) and

2e  
vV ( G )
deg(v)  
vV ( G )
(n  1)  n(n  1) since | V (G) | n .

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 n(n  1)
So, e = .
2

(b) (i) Suppose that G is a graph of order 3 .

If G is self-complementary then e  e
where e | E (G) | and e | E (G) |

But

 3  3.2
e  e      3.
 2 2
Not possible. Hence, no self-complementary graph on 3 vertices.

(ii) An EXAMPLE of a self-complementary graph of order 4 is P4 , path on 4 vertices:

n(n  1) 4(3)
e  e   6
2 2
 e  e  3
(ii) For a self-complementary graph on 5 vertices: in this case

5(4)
e  e   10
2
e  e  e  5
An EXAMPLE self-complementary graph on 5 vertices is C5 , a 2  regular on 5 vertices

Question 5
Determine which pairs of graphs below are isomorphic? EXPLAIN FULLY.

SOLUTION
Make sure you understand the definition of isomorphic graphs and of an isomorphism
between such graphs.

G1 and G2 are 3  regular graphs of order 4. Up to isomorphism, there is only ONE

3  regular graph on 4 vertices, namely K 4 , the complete graph on 4 vertices.

So,

G1  G2

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G3 and G4 are 2  regular graphs on 5 vertices and

G3  G4  C5 , the circuit on 5 vertices.

G5 , G6 , G7 are 3  regular on 6 vertices.

We note that

G5  G6  K3,3
The vertices of G5 can be
partitioned into two
independent sets.

However,

G7 is not isomorphic to K3,3 since it contains triangles.

By theorem 1.3.2: A graph G is bipartite if and only if every circuit in G has even length.

G11 : degree sequence 1,1,1, 2, 2, 2,3

G12 : degree sequence 1,1,1,1, 2,3,3

G13 : degree sequence 1,1,1,1, 2,3,3

So, G11 is not isomorphic to G12 and also not isomorphic to G13 .

Are G12 and G13 isomorphic?

The answer is NO, since in G12 the vertices of degree 3 are adjacent, while in G13 they are
not.

Alternatively, give a one-to-one correspondence for those graphs that are isomorphic by
labelling the vertices of the graphs.

Question 6
If a connected planar graph with n vertices, all of degree 4 , has 10 regions, determine n .
SOLUTION
We use Euler’s Formula:
r  en2
to determine n .

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We have r  10 and 2e  
vV ( G )
deg(v)  4n  e  2n .

So,
10  2n  n  2  n  8 .

Question 7
Consider a connected planar graph with v ( 3) vertices, e edges and r regions.

Show that if e  3v  6 then each region is a triangle.

SOLUTION
Let G be such a graph.
First note that G be a tree, since then
v  1  e  3v  6  2v  5
So, each region must be bounded by at least 3 edges.
Now, if e  3v  6 , then
v  e  r  2  3v  3e  3r  6
 (3v  6)  3e  3r
 e  3e  3r
 2e  3r
If any region is bounded by more than 3 edges we would have 2e  3r .
Therefore, each region is a triangle.

Question 8

(a) Show that the Petersen graph contains a subgraph that is a K3,3 configuration.

(b) Does it contain a subgraph that is a K 5 configuration?

(c) Deduce that the Peterson graph is non-planar.

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SOLUTION
(a)

(b) The Petersen graph is a 3-regular graph and hence, cannot contain a subgraph that is a
K 5 configuration.

(c) follows from Kuratowski’s theorem.

Question 9
Prove that if a connected graph G has 11 vertices, then either G or its complement G 
must be nonplanar.

SOLUTION
Suppose that G and its complement G  are planar.
Let e | V (G) | , e ' | V (G) | and v | V (G) || V (G) | .

Now

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 11(10)
e  e ' | E ( K11 ) |  55 .
2

But G planar  e  3v  6 and G  planar  e '  3v  6 , which implies

e  e '  6v  12  6(11)  12  54 , a contradiction.

Hence, either G or its complement G  must be planar.

Question 10
Consider the following graph G :

Use the circle-chord method to determine whether G is planar. If it is planar, give a planar
drawing. If it is not, give a K3,3 or a K 5 configuration

SOLUTION

NOTE that you have to explain step-by-step how you draw each edge. For the argument
to be valid, you also have to make sure that for EACH step there is ONLY ONE way to draw
the next edge.

Consider, for example the Hamilton circuit

1  2  3  4  6  7  9  8  5 1.

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Draw edge 1-4 inside.

This forces edge 3-5 outside.

Then edge 2-6 cannot be drawn

K3,3 configuration: