Algebraic Graph Theory

BITS F421T
NADEEM AHMED
Characteristic Polynomial

 Characteristic Polynomial of a graph is an algebraic construction which contains the

graphical information of the graph .
 It could be assumed to be a basic unit of the algebraic notation of graph terminologies.
 Let A(G) be the adjacency matrix of a graph G. The polynomial pA(G)(x) is the
characteristic polynomial of G. For convenience, we use p(G, x) to denote pA(G)(x). The
spectrum of a graph G is the set of eigenvalues of A(G) together with their multiplicities.
Characteristic Polynomial

 p (G, x) = xn + c1xn−1 + · · · + cn, then

 c1 = 0.
 −c2 = |E (G)|.
 −c3 is twice the number of triangles in G
Spectrum of Bipartite Graph

 G is bipartite.
1) The non-zero eigenvalues of G occurs in pairs λi, λj such that λi + λj = 0 (with an
equivalent multiplicity).
2) p (G, x) may be a polynomial in x2 after factoring out the greatest common power of x.
3) for all t N.
Results

 An Upper Bound for the largest eigenvalue: Suppose that eigenvalues of the Graph
 G has n vertices and m edges then ∑ λi = 0 and ∑ λi2 = 2m. (Let λ1 ≥λ2≥ λ3…λn be the
 Eigenvalues of G.
 Proof: As ∑ λi = 0 Hence
 ≤ (n-1)(2m-).
 So,

 Dominating Sets
 Dominating Sets
1.Definition:
•A dominating set D for a graph G is a set in which each vertex of G is
either in D or adjacent to some vertex in D.
•The minimum size of a dominating set of vertices in G is called
domination number.
•The dominating set problem concerns finding a minimum dominating
set.

{2,3} – dominating set

as {v} – {2,3} = {1,4,5,6} are all adjacent to {2,3}
Connected Dominating Sets 2 3 4

5 6
Connected Dominating Sets

 A connected dominating set of a graph G is a dominating set D whose induced sub graph
is also connected.
 A minimum connected dominating set of a graph G is the set with smallest possible
cardinality among all connected dominating sets of G.
  The number of vertices in the minimum connected dominating set is the connected
domination number of G.
CDS Problem

 The CDS problem is to find a minimum connected dominating set.

 Finding a minimum connected dominating set is a NP – complete problem.
 Problem of finding a min connected dominating set can be mapped into a set covering
problem.
 Set covering problem is essentially a problem concerning bipartite graphs as shown.
Bipartite graph
 C = {4,5} is the CD.
 C = {3,5,6} is the MCD.
Applications

 Mobile networks are represented by a connected graph

 Minimum connected dominating sets are used to do routing in wireless ad hoc networks.
 Connected dominating sets often used as a virtual backbone in mobile ad hoc networks
for routing.
 Many approximation algorithms using the greedy method have been proposed.
Laplacian matrix :

 Let X be a graph. D(X) be the diagonal Matrix with Diagonal

entries as the degrees of the vertices of X . Then the laplacian
Matrix of X, denoted L(X) is defined as L(X) = D(X) – A(X) ,
where A(X) is the adjacency Matrix
Adjacency matrix and Diagonal Matrix

 Adjacency Matrix: The element aij of this matrix tells the number
of edges corresponding from vertex to vertex j. It can
be defined in a piecewise manner as
 Aij =
 Diagonal Matrix: The matrix Formed by representing the degrees
of the vertices along the diagonal elements of the Matrix.
adjacency matrix and diagonal matrix
Laplacian Eigen values of regular graphs :

 Let X be a k-regular Graph with n –vertices .Let k= λ1 ≥ λ2 ≥ λ3 ≥ λ4

≥ ……….λn be the Eigen values of A, the Adjacency matrix of X. Then,
the Eigen Values of the Laplacian matrix L of X is 0, k-λ2,…..,k-λn .
 Let X be a graph . If each edge of X is assigned an orientation which
is arbitrary but fixed . Let Q(X) be the Incidence matrix of X. Then
L(X) =Q(X)Q(XT) .
 The computed Incidence Matrix(I),Adjacency matrix (A), and
degree matrix(D) are :
Node coloring and chromatic number
Greedy algorithm for node coloring
 Using Eigen values for Graph Coloring:

 Coloring the vertices of a graph using k different colors so that no two adjacent
vertices receive the same color is a well-known NP-complete problem.

A heuristic algorithm based on the eigenvalue decomposition of the adjacency

matrix of a graph. The eigenvectors depict the bipartite-looking subgraphs that are
used to refine the coloring to a valid coloring. The algorithm optimally colors k-
partite graphs.
Correct but Minimum Coloring
Coloring Algorithm based on bipartite graphs

 This algorithms shows how to color any bipartite graph correctly by examining the
eigenvalue decomposition of its adjacency matrix.
 G = (V, E) be a bipartite graph with parts V1 and V2. If we order the vertices so that those
in V1 come first, then the adjacency matrix of a bipartite graph is written
 In the form of. As already shown in the Spectrum of Bipartite graph section. Bipartite
graph is symmetric around zero. i.e if u= is an eigenvector of A with eigenvalue λ then we
have also as an eigenvector of A with its corresponding eigenvalue as -λ.position of its
adjacency matrix.
Two Coloring algorithm

 Color the vertices according to the signs of the components of eigenvector u n

corresponding to the most negative eigen value v n.
 adjacency matrix A can be written in the form of .
 =.
 .
 How good is this approximate two-coloring?
 Every graph has an approximate two-coloring in which more than half the edges satisfy
the Coloring conditions.
Dominated Coloring set

 For this concept the graph is partitioned into color classes. Then we look into the
dominating set in each color classes.
 A vertex v V is a dominator set s ⊂ V , if v dominates every vertex in S.
 Various other terminologies like dominator coloring, dom-chromatic number are also
developed.