Paper 4, Section II, F

Graph Theory
Part II, 2012

(a) Show that every finite tree of order at least 2 has a leaf. Hence, or otherwise, show that a tree of order n1n \geqslant 1 must have precisely n1n-1 edges.

(b) Let GG be a graph. Explain briefly why G/α(G)χ(G)Δ(G)+1|G| / \alpha(G) \leqslant \chi(G) \leqslant \Delta(G)+1.

Let k=χ(G)k=\chi(G), and assume k2k \geqslant 2. By induction on G|G|, or otherwise, show that GG has a subgraph HH with δ(H)k1\delta(H) \geqslant k-1. Hence, or otherwise, show that if TT is a tree of order kk then TGT \subseteq G.

(c) Let s,t2s, t \geqslant 2 be integers, let n=(s1)(t1)+1n=(s-1)(t-1)+1 and let TT be a tree of order tt. Show that whenever the edges of the complete graph KnK_{n} are coloured blue and yellow then it must contain either a blue KsK_{s} or a yellow TT.

Does this remain true if KnK_{n} is replaced by Kn1K_{n-1} ? Justify your answer.

[The independence number α(G)\alpha(G) of a graph GG is the size of the largest set WV(G)W \subseteq V(G) of vertices such that no edge of GG joins two points of WW. Recall that χ(G)\chi(G) is the chromatic number and δ(G),Δ(G)\delta(G), \Delta(G) are respectively the minimal/maximal degrees of vertices in GG.]