What are the definitions of graph theory and its components?

AI Thread Summary
Graph theory is defined through various components, including simple graphs, multigraphs, and pseudographs. A simple graph is an ordered pair of vertices and edges, while a multigraph allows multiple edges between the same vertices, and a pseudograph includes loops. A subgraph consists of a subset of vertices and edges that form a graph, with specific types such as walks, trails, paths, circuits, and cycles. The concept of graph components is clarified as maximal connected subgraphs, where a graph is connected if there is a path between every pair of vertices. A graph can be both a multigraph and a pseudograph if it contains multiple edges and loops.
wubie
Hello,

My discrete math course has begun a section on graph theory. And I am hung up on some of the definitions. If someone is familiar with graph theory, I would appreciate it if some of these definitions could be reworded in another way. I will post the definitions we have taken so far and highlight the definitions with which I am having trouble.


SIMPLE GRAPH - is formally defined as an ordered pair (V,E) where V is a nonempty set of elements called vertices and E is a set of two-element subsets e = {u,v} of V called edges.


If some pairs of vertices have more than one edge joinging them, the result is called a MULTIGRAPH.
If there are loops ( which are edges beginning and ending at the same vertex) the result is called a PSEUDOGRAPH.

SUBGRAPH - of a graph is a set of vertices and edges, provided that all vertices incident with edges in the subgraph are included. In other words, a subgraph is a subset of the vertices and edges that itself forms a graph.

Types of Subgraphs


WALK - is a subraph that consists of a sequence of vertices and edges v0,e1,v1,e2,v2...en,vn such that for 1 =< i =< n, the edge ei joins vertices vi-1 and i.


TRAIL - a walk in which no edges are repeated.


PATH - a trail in which no vertices are repeated except perhaps for the first and last vertex.


CIRCUIT - is a trail whose first and last vertices are the same.


CYCLE - is a path whose first and last vertices are the same.


Components of a Graph - Two vertices of a graph that are joined by a path are said to belong to the same component of the graph. If the whole graph is one component, then it is said to be connected.


I definition of a walk is making more sense to me now that I have written it out here. But I still am having trouble with components of a graph and when a graph is connected.

I also would like to know, if a graph is considered a multigraph, but it also has a loop, is it a multigraph or a pseudograph?


Any help is appreciated. Thankyou.
 
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Originally posted by wubie
I definition of a walk is making more sense to me now that I have written it out here. But I still am having trouble with components of a graph and when a graph is connected.

A graph is connected if there is a trail/path betwteen every pair of vertices. "Connected" means what you think it ought to mean.

A component is a maximal connected subgraph. If a graph is connected, then it only has one component -- the entire graph. Otherwise, each 'disconnected' piece is a component.

Originally posted by wubie
I also would like to know, if a graph is considered a multigraph, but it also has a loop, is it a multigraph or a pseudograph?

How about both? They don't have to be exclusive.
 
Last edited:
Thankyou Ambitwistor and NateTG.

I think I understand now. I have to think about it a bit more but I believe I got it.
 
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