Use greedy vertex coloring algorithm to prove the upper bound of χ

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Homework Statement
Let ##e_i(G)## denote the number of vertices of a graph ##G## whose degree is strictly greater than ##i##. Use the greedy algorithm to show that if ##e_i(G) \le i+1## for some ##i##, then ##\chi(G) \le i+1## (Discrete Mathematics by Biggs, 2nd Ed, Exercise 15.7.3)
Relevant Equations
Definition of "the greedy algorithm". One such definition (which matches what my book uses) can be found here: https://people.cs.uchicago.edu/~laci/HANDOUTS/greedycoloring.pdf (I also added a screenshot of the definition in my post)
Hi!

I am struggling with the exercise I mentioned under "Homework statement".

The exercise is about a specific "greedy vertex coloring algorithm". One definition (which matches what my book uses) can be found here: https://people.cs.uchicago.edu/~laci/HANDOUTS/greedycoloring.pdf

Here is also a screenshot of the relevant parts of the linked PDF, i.e. the def. of the algorithm:
1756886551546.webp


Sadly I don't have much to show as far as a solution attempt goes, as I am stuck on how to proceed.
I thought that one approach might be to prove that this property of the greedy algorithm is true, given my constraints: ##|\left\{c(j)|j<i, j \in \text{adj}(i)\right\}| \le i##, because that implies that the no color ##> i+1## will be picked by the greedy algorithm.
However, I can't figure out a way to prove that.
 
There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...
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