What are the definitions of graph theory and its components?

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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.
 
Here is a little puzzle from the book 100 Geometric Games by Pierre Berloquin. The side of a small square is one meter long and the side of a larger square one and a half meters long. One vertex of the large square is at the center of the small square. The side of the large square cuts two sides of the small square into one- third parts and two-thirds parts. What is the area where the squares overlap?

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