Applied Combinatorics, 4th Ed.

Alan Tucker

Section 1.3
Edge Counting

Prepared by Joshua Schoenly and Kathleen McNamara

02/01/05 Tucker, Sec. 1.3 1

 Theorem 1
Statement:
In any graph, the sum of the degrees of all
vertices is equal to twice the number of edges.
2 E   nd d   deg(v)
d v

where E is the number of edges, d is the degree

of any vertex, nd is the number of vertices of
degree d, and v is any vertex in the graph.
02/01/05 Tucker, Sec. 1.3 2
 2 E   nd d
Example 1: Use of d
Theorem 1 E  20
Suppose we want to all d  4
construct a graph with 2  20  n4  4
20 edges and have all
n4  10
vertices of degree four.
How many vertices
must the graph have?

It must have 10 vertices!

02/01/05 Tucker, Sec. 1.3 3

Proof:
Summing the degrees of all vertices counts all
instances of some edge being incident to some
vertex. But, each edge is incident with two
vertices, and so the total number of such edge-
vertex incidences is simply twice the number
of edges.

02/01/05 Tucker, Sec. 1.3 4

Corollary:
In any graph, the number of vertices of odd
degree is even.
Proof of Corollary:
Because twice the number of edges must be an
even integer, the sum of degrees must be an
even integer. For the sum of degrees to be an
even integer, there must be an even number of
odd integers in the sum.

02/01/05 Tucker, Sec. 1.3 5

 Definitions
• Component- connected pieces of a graph

Component 1 Component 2 Component 3

• Length- the number of edges in a path.

e

d Path abde has length 3.

b
Path eabcd has length 4.
a
c

02/01/05 Tucker, Sec. 1.3 6

 Definitions
• Bipartite- a graph G is bipartite if its vertices
can be partitioned into two sets, v1 and v2, such
that every edge joins a vertex in v1 with a vertex
v 2. v1 v2

02/01/05 Tucker, Sec. 1.3 7

 Definitions
• Complete Bipartite- a bipartite graph in which
every vertex on one side is connected to every
vertex on the other side.
For Example:

K3,4

02/01/05 Tucker, Sec. 1.3 8

 Theorem 2
Statement:
A graph G is bipartite if and only if every circuit
in G has an even length.

L=4

02/01/05 Tucker, Sec. 1.3 9

Proof: Bipartite implies even length circuits

a b a b
f
d c d

e f
c
e
G

02/01/05 Tucker, Sec. 1.3 10

Proof (part 2): Even length circuits imply
bipartite
a b a b
f
d c d

e f
c
e
G

02/01/05 Tucker, Sec. 1.3 11

 Example 4
M
E W
C V
X
T
B
D Y
U
Z
A

Rules:
1. Hikers start at points A and Z
2. Hikers must stay at the same altitude at all times
3. Stops must have at least one hiker on a peak or valley
4. Objective: Hikers must reach M at the same time

02/01/05 Tucker, Sec. 1.3 12

The hikers must be at the same altitude, so when hiker A climbs
to point C, hiker Z must climb to point X. Then when hiker A
descends to D, hiker Z must then descend to Y in order to be at
the same altitude.
M

E W
C V
X
T
B
D Y
U
Z
A
(C,X)

(D,Y)
(A,Z)

02/01/05 Tucker, Sec. 1.3 13

 Solution to Example 4
M

E
W
C
V X
T
B Y
D U
(M,M) Z
A
(E,W)
(C,X) (C,T) (C,V)

(A,Z) (D,Y) (D,U) (B,U)

02/01/05 Tucker, Sec. 1.3 14

 Class Problem – 1.3 / 3
What is the largest possible number of vertices in a
graph with 19 edges and all vertices of degree at least
3? (Hint – use Theorem 1)

2 E   nd d
d

02/01/05 Tucker, Sec. 1.3 15

 Solution to Problem
• First try with only degree 3: 2 19  38  n3  3
• But 38 isn’t divisible by 3, so that
doesn’t work.

• Next try with all vertices having 2 19  38  n3  3  1 4

degree 3, except one with degree 4:
34  n3  3
• But 34 isn’t divisible by 3, so that
doesn’t work either.

• Next try with all vertices having 2 19  38  n3  3  2  4

degree 3, except two with degree 4: 30  n3  3
• That works! So the largest number of n3  10; n4  2
vertices is 12. n  10  2  12

02/01/05 Tucker, Sec. 1.3 16