Minimum Spanning Trees

Text

Read Weiss, 9.5

Prims Algorithm

Weiss 9.5.1
Similar to Dijkstras Algorithm

Kruskals Algorithm

Weiss 9.5.2
Focuses on edges, rather than nodes

Definition
A Minimum Spanning Tree (MST) is a
subgraph of an undirected graph such that
the subgraph spans (includes) all nodes, is
connected, is acyclic, and has minimum
total edge weight

Algorithm Characteristics
Both Prims and Kruskals Algorithms work
with undirected graphs
Both work with weighted and unweighted
graphs but are more interesting when edges
are weighted
Both are greedy algorithms that produce
optimal solutions

Prims Algorithm
Similar to Dijkstras Algorithm except that
dv records edge weights, not path lengths

Walk-Through
2

10

18

C
3

Initialize array

10
25

2
3

dv

pv

10

H
3

D
25

dv

pv

10
2

K
A

18

C
3

Start with any node, say D

C
D
E
F
G
H

Update distances of
adjacent, unselected nodes

10

H
3

D
25

pv

25

18

10
2

dv

18

K
3

C
C
D

Select node with

minimum distance

10

H
3

D
25

pv

25

18

10
2

dv

18

K
3

C
C
D

G
H

Update distances of
adjacent, unselected nodes

10

H
3

D
25

pv

18

10
2

dv

18

K
3

C
C
D

G
H

Select node with

minimum distance

10

10
25

2
3

dv

pv

18

18

K
A

G
H

Update distances of
adjacent, unselected nodes

10

D
25

2
3

10

dv

pv

18

K
3

C
C

G
H

Select node with

minimum distance

10

D
25

2
3

10

dv

pv

18

K
3

C
C

E
F

Update distances of
adjacent, unselected nodes

10

18

10
25

2
3

K
3

dv

pv

10

E
F

Select node with

minimum distance

10

18

10
25

2
3

K
3

dv

pv

10

Update distances of
adjacent, unselected nodes

10

18

10
25

2
3

K
3

dv

pv

10

Table entries unchanged

Select node with

minimum distance

10

18

10
25

2
3

K
3

dv

pv

10

Update distances of
adjacent, unselected nodes

10

18

10
25

2
3

K
3

dv

pv

Select node with

minimum distance

10

10
25

2
3

dv

pv

18

C
C

Update distances of
adjacent, unselected nodes

10

10
25

2
3

dv

pv

18

C
C

Table entries unchanged

Select node with

minimum distance

10

18

C
D

10
25

2
3

dv

pv

Cost of Minimum
Spanning Tree = dv = 21

2
3

F
A

C
3

2
3

dv

pv

Done

Kruskals Algorithm
Work with edges, rather than nodes
Two steps:
Sort edges by increasing edge weight
Select the first |V| 1 edges that do not
generate a cycle

Walk-Through
F

10

3
6

Consider an undirected, weight graph

4
1

2
3

10

3
6

Sort the edges by increasing edge weight

4
1

2
3

edge

dv

edge

dv

(D,E)

(B,E)

(D,G)

(B,F)

(E,G)

(B,H)

(C,D)

(A,H)

(G,H)

(D,F)

(C,F)

(A,B)

(B,C)

(A,F)

10

Select first |V|1 edges which do not

generate a cycle

10

C
D

4
1

2
3

edge

dv

(B,E)

(B,F)

(E,G)

(B,H)

(C,D)

(A,H)

(G,H)

(D,F)

(C,F)

(A,B)

(B,C)

(A,F)

10

edge

dv

(D,E)

(D,G)

Select first |V|1 edges which do not

generate a cycle

10

C
D

4
1

2
3

edge

dv

(B,E)

(B,F)

(B,H)

(C,D)

(A,H)

(G,H)

(D,F)

(C,F)

(A,B)

(B,C)

(A,F)

10

edge

dv

(D,E)

(D,G)

(E,G)

Select first |V|1 edges which do not

generate a cycle

10

C
D

4
1

2
3

edge

dv

(B,E)

(B,F)

(E,G)

(B,H)

(C,D)

(A,H)

(G,H)

(D,F)

(C,F)

(A,B)

(B,C)

(A,F)

10

edge

dv

(D,E)

(D,G)

Accepting edge (E,G) would create a cycle

Select first |V|1 edges which do not

generate a cycle

10

C
D

4
1

2
3

edge

dv

(B,E)

(B,F)

(E,G)

(B,H)

(C,D)

(A,H)

(G,H)

(D,F)

(C,F)

(A,B)

(B,C)

(A,F)

10

edge

dv

(D,E)

(D,G)

Select first |V|1 edges which do not

generate a cycle

10

C
D

4
1

2
3

edge

dv

(B,E)

(B,F)

(E,G)

(B,H)

(C,D)

(A,H)

(G,H)

(D,F)

(C,F)

(A,B)

(B,C)

(A,F)

10

edge

dv

(D,E)

(D,G)

Select first |V|1 edges which do not

generate a cycle

10

C
D

4
1

2
3

edge

dv

(B,E)

(B,F)

(E,G)

(B,H)

(C,D)

(A,H)

(G,H)

(D,F)

(C,F)

(A,B)

(B,C)

(A,F)

10

edge

dv

(D,E)

(D,G)

Select first |V|1 edges which do not

generate a cycle

10

C
D

4
1

2
3

edge

dv

(B,E)

(B,F)

(E,G)

(B,H)

(C,D)

(A,H)

(G,H)

(D,F)

(C,F)

(A,B)

(B,C)

(A,F)

10

edge

dv

(D,E)

(D,G)

Select first |V|1 edges which do not

generate a cycle

10

C
D

4
1

2
3

edge

dv

(B,E)

(B,F)

(E,G)

(B,H)

(C,D)

(A,H)

(G,H)

(D,F)

(C,F)

(A,B)

(B,C)

(A,F)

10

edge

dv

(D,E)

(D,G)

Select first |V|1 edges which do not

generate a cycle

10

C
D

4
1

2
3

edge

dv

(B,E)

(B,F)

(E,G)

(B,H)

(C,D)

(A,H)

(G,H)

(D,F)

(C,F)

(A,B)

(B,C)

(A,F)

10

edge

dv

(D,E)

(D,G)

Select first |V|1 edges which do not

generate a cycle

10

C
D

4
1

2
3

edge

dv

(B,E)

(B,F)

(E,G)

(B,H)

(C,D)

(A,H)

(G,H)

(D,F)

(C,F)

(A,B)

(B,C)

(A,F)

10

edge

dv

(D,E)

(D,G)

Select first |V|1 edges which do not

generate a cycle

10

C
D

4
1

2
3

edge

dv

(B,E)

(B,F)

(E,G)

(B,H)

(C,D)

(A,H)

(G,H)

(D,F)

(C,F)

(A,B)

(B,C)

(A,F)

10

edge

dv

(D,E)

(D,G)

Select first |V|1 edges which do not

generate a cycle
3

F
A

C
3

D
1

2
3

edge

dv

(B,E)

(B,F)

(E,G)

(B,H)

(C,D)

(A,H)

(G,H)

(D,F)

(C,F)

(A,B)

(B,C)

(A,F)

10

edge

dv

(D,E)

(D,G)

Done
Total Cost =

dv = 21

not
considered

Detecting Cycles
Use Disjoint Sets (Chapter 8)