Appl. Math. J. Chinese Univ. Ser.

B
2006,21 (3) 9357-360

A L O W E R B O U N D ON C O C H R O M A T I C N U M B E R F O R
L I N E G R A P H S OF A K I N D OF G R A P H S

Liu Xinsheng 1 Chen Xiang'en 1 Ou Lifeng 2

Abstract. ErdOs,Gimbel and Straight (1990) conjectured that if ~o(G)~5 and z ( G ) > 3 , t h e n
z(G)~7~(G)--2. But by using the concept of edge coehromatie number it is proved that if G is
the line graph of a connected triangle-free graph with w(G)%5 and G:/:K4, then z(G)~p((G)--
2.

In this paper ,all graphs under consideration are simple ,connected and undirected. For
basic g r a p h - t h e o r e t i c t e r m i n o l o g y , w e refer readers to El2. We say that a graph G is k-
colorable (k-edge-colorable) if V ( G ) ( E ( G ) ) can be colored by k distinct colors so that any
two adjacent vertices ( e d g e s ) get different colors. T h e chromatic n u m b e r of G (edge
chromatic n u m b e r of G) ,denoted by ;g(G) (2~' ( G ) ) , is the smallest integer k such that G is
k-colorable (k-edge-colorable). A t-cocoloring of a graph G is a partition of V ( G ) into t
sets such that each set of the partition induces an e m p t y or a complete graph in G. G is t-
coeolorable if G has a t-cocoloring. The cochromatic number of G , d e n o t e d by z ( G ) , is
z(G) = min { t [ G is t-cocolorable}. The cochromatic n u m b e r was first introduced by
Lesniak and Straight E2~. Erd6s, Gimbel and Straight E3] conjectured that if o ) ( G ) < 5 and
z ( G ) > 3 , then z ( G ) ~ ) ( . ( G ) - - 2 , w h e r e ~o(G) is the clique number of G,i. e. , the n u m b e r
of the vertices of the largest clique in G. The conjecture is best possible,since there exist
graphs G that satisfy ~ o ( G ) = 4 , ; g ( G ) = 6 and z ( G ) = 3 ( s e e 23~). In this paper we will give
the following result.
T h e o r e m 1. If G is the line g r a p h of a connected triangle-free g r a p h with w ( G ) < 5 and G=/=
K4, then z ( G ) ~ X ( G ) - - 2 .
In order to prove the above T h e o r e m , w e make some preliminaries.
A star is the graph K I . , , denoted by S,. We call a vertex a center of S, if its degree is
n. Let S,~ denote a star whose center is v. We appoint that S denotes both the graph S and
the edge set of S when S is a star. The maximal degree of graph G is denoted by A ( G ) .
L e m m a 1. Let L(G) is the line graph of G , t h e n A ( G ) = w ( L ( G ) ) , e x c e p t for G=K3.

Received : 2005-04-21.
MR Subject Classification:05C15.
Keywords =cochromatic number, edge cochromatic number, matching ,star.
Supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Gansu Province (3ZS051-A25-025).
 358 Appl. Math. J. Chinese Univ. Ser. B Vol. 21,No. 3

Proof. As L ( G ) contains a clique which has A(G) v e r t i c e s , t h e r e f o r e ~ o ( L ( G ) ) ~ A ( G ) . If

A ( G ) % o J ( L ( G ) ) , then G contains r e d g e s , a n y two of which are adjacent. Since G
is not K3, G contains a star S;(L(O)). T h u s d~ ( v ) = co ( L ( G ) ) > A ( G ) . This is a
contradiction.
F r o m L e m m a 1 we k n o w that graphs G which satisfy o J ( G ) = 4 , X ( G ) = 6 are not line
graphs of any graph. O t h e r w i s e , if G i s the line graph of some graph H , then A ( H ) = 4
and Z' ( H ) = 6. And this contradicts )~' ( H ) ~ A (H)q-1. Now we propose the concept of
edge cochromatic number. An s-edge-cocoloring of a graph G is a partition of E ( G ) into s
sets such that each edge set of the partition induces a matching or a star in G. G is s-edge-
cocolorable if G has an s-edge-cocoloring. T h e edge cochromatic n u m b e r of G, denoted by
z' ( G ) , is z' ( G ) = m i n { s ]G is s-edge-cocolorable }. Clearly z' ( S , ) = 1. Since a r b i t r a r y edge-
cocoloring of G is a cocoloring of L ( G ) , we have that z ( L ( G ) ) ~ z ' ( G ) . T h e following
L e m m a 2 is obvious.
Lemma2. (1) If A ( G ) = l , t h e n z ' ( G ) = X . ' ( G ) = l .
( 2 ) I f G is a path of length 2 , t h e n z' ( G ) = I .
( 3 ) I f G is K a , then z' ( G ) = 2 .
L e m m a 3. If G is neither a path of length 2 nor K a , a n d A ( G ) = 2 , t h e n z' ( G ) = X ' (G).
Proof. I f G i s a p a t h o f l e n g t h k w i t h k > 2 , t h e n z ' ( G ) = X ' ( G ) = 2 . If G is the even cycles
C2m with r n ~ 2 , then z' ( G ) = ) f ' (G)-----2. If G is the odd cycles Czm+l with r n ~ 2 , then z' (G)
=;g' (G) = 3 .
L e m m a 4. Let G be a triangle-free g r a p h , t h e n z ( L ( G ) ) = z ' (G).
Proof. Since G is t r i a n g l e - f r e e , t h e induced graph Ka in L ( G ) is only obtained from the
induced graph Kl.a in G. T h u s any cocoloring of L ( G ) is an edge-cocoloring of G. It
follows that z' (G)~-~z(L(G) ). Since z ( L ( G ) ) ~ z ' (G) , z ( L ( G ) ) = z ' (G).
L e m m a 5. Suppose S~,,S~ z are two stars and n ~ r n > l , % : / : v z . E ( S ~ 1 N E ( S ~ 2) = 0 ,
V(S~, ) f " ] V ( S ~ ) : / - O . T h e n X' (S~ 1[..JS~2) = A(S~ ~I..JS~2).
Proof. Let A(S,~ [.JS:;2) = A .
Case 1. V(S~,~)["IV(S[,2)["] {vl,vz}-----~.
Case 1.1. If(s~,~)Nv(s~)l=l.
Suppose V ( S ~ ~ ) [ ' I V ( S ~ 7 ) = { v } , v = i k v i , i = l , 2 Colors 1 , 2 are asstgned to vlv,v2v.
Color the remaining edges of S; 1 with 2,3 . . . . . n and the remaining edges of S ) with 1,
3 . . . . . m. T h u s we obtain an n-edge-coloring of S~1U S ) . T h e r e f o r e )~' (S~ ~U S ) ) ~ n = A .
Case 1.2. IV(S~')NV(STs
Suppose V(S~ ~) f] ( S ) ) = {ul,u2 . . . . . up},ui:/=vl,ui:~=v2,i=t,2 ..... p. Colors 1,
2..... p--l,p are assigned to vlul,vtu2 . . . . . vlup 1,VlUp,respectively,while colors 2,
3 . . . . , p , 1 are assigned to veu~, vzu,e . . . . . vzu,, ~, v2u~ respectively. Color the remaining
edges of S;Il with p + l . . . . . n and the remaining edges of S~~ with p - - 1 . . . . . m. T h u s we
Liu Xinsheng,et al. A LOWER BOUND ON COCHROMATICNUMBER 359

obtain an n-edge-coloring of Snvl U S ~2. T h e r e f o r e X' (S.~ U,S',~Z)~n =A,

Note that Z' (S: 1US~2)>~A,so )( (S.~ U S ) ) = A .
Case 2. V(SVnl)Ng(SVm2)~_{Vl,V2}and Iv(s~.,)Ng(s~2)l=l.
We m a y a s s u m e , without loss of generality, that V ( S ~ ' ) ~ V ( S ) = {vz}. Color VlV2
with 1. Color the remaining edges of S.~1 with 2 , 3 . . . . . n and the remaining edges of S )
with 2,3 . . . . . m + 1. T h u s we obtain a max {n, rn + 1 }-edge-coloring of S: 1 [_JS;?. Therefore
Z' (S;' [.J S,~ ) ~<max {n, m + 1 } ----A. Note that Z' (S~ 1 [.J S:;2) ~>A, so Z' (S.~1[_]S ) ) ----A.
Case 3. [V(S:~)flV(S: z) 1 ~ 2 and [ V ( S : I ) f l V ( S : 2 ) [ "] {v~,v~} I = 1 .
Case 3. 1. I V ( S ~ , I ) i " ] V ( S : z ) I = 2 .
We m a y a s s u m e , without loss of generality, that V (S: 1) ["1 V (S,~2) = {vz, v }, v =/=Vl.
Color v l v , v ~ v 2 , v z v with 1 , 2 , m + 1 respectively. Color the ramaining edges of S: ~ with 3,
4 . . . . . n, and the remaining edges of S i x with 1,3 . . . . . rn. T h u s we obtain a m a x { n , r n +
1 }-edge-coloring of S~~[.JS~a. T h e r e f o r e )~' (S~ ~[ J S ~ z ) ~ m a x { n , r n + 1 } = A .
Case 3.2. I V ( S : a) f l U ( S ) ) I----p+l ,p>l.
We may a s s u m e , without loss of generality, that V (S: ~) fl V (S~2) = { v z , w l , w z . . . . .
wp},w~=~vl,i=l,2 ..... p. Color v l w l , V l W z . . . . . v l w p , V l V Z with 1 , 2 . . . . , p , p + l
respectively, and v z w ~ , v z w z . . . . , v z z v p - ~ , v z w ~ with 2 , 3 . . . . , p , 1 respectively. Color the
remaining edges of S~1 with p + 2 . . . . . n and the remaining edges of S~z with p + 2 . . . . . m +
1. T h u s we obtain a m a x { n , r n + l }-edge-coloring of S:~ US:,z. Therefore
z(S~ 1~ S~2)~<max {n , m + l } = A .
Note that ;~' (S:' [ . J S ~ ) ~ A , s o Z' (S,~ U S ) ) = A .
L e m m a 6. Let G be a connected graph. If A ( G ) < 5 , t h e n z' (G)>~Z' (G)--2, except for G
=K1,4.
Proof. By L e m m a 2 and L e m m a 3,we know if A(G)----1 or A ( G ) = 2 , then z' (G)>~Z' (G)
- - 2 . So we only consider the following two eases.
Case 1. A ( G ) = 3.
Case 1. 1. Z' ( G ) = 3 . Certainly z' (G)>~I = Z ' ( G ) - - 2 .
Case 1. 2. Z' ( G ) = 4 . Since G is not 1-edge-cocolorable,we have that z' ( G ) > ~ 2 = X ' ( G ) - -
2.
Case 2. A ( G ) = 4 .
Case 2. 1. X' ( G ) = 4 . Since G is not KI,4, G is not 1-edge-cocolorable. T h e r e f o r e z' ( G ) ~
2.
Case 2.2. Z' ( G ) = 5 . A s s u m e z'(G)~-~2. Let (E1,Ez) be a 2-edge-cocoloring of G. Since
Zr ( G ) = 5 , e i t h e r E ~ o r E z i s a s t a r . We may a s s u m e , w i t h o u t loss of generality,thatE1----S~ 1
with n~<4.
Case 2 . 2 . 1 . Ez is a star S~;2 with rn~<4.
Since G is not K1.4,we have vl=/=vz,and G is connected. T h e r e f o r e by L e m m a 5 we
 360 Appl. Math. J. Chinese Univ. Ser. B Vol. 21 ,No. 3

obtain that Z' ( G ) = Z ' (S: I [.JS~z)=A(S: ~[.JS,~) = A ( G ) = 4 . A contradiction to Z ' ( G ) = 5 .

Case 2 . 2 . 2 . Ez is matching.
Since G is connected, G is either one of graphs in Fig. 1 or the subgraph G' of one of
graphs in Fig. 1 with A(G' ) = 4 . Since the edge chromatic number of any graph in Fig. 1 is
4, this is a contradiction to Z' ( G ) = 5.

Fig. 1

Therefore G is not 2-edge-cocolorable,i. e. ,z' ( G ) ~ 3 = Z ' ( G ) - - 2 .

We know that the edge-chromatic number of a nonempty graph G is equal to the
chromatic number of the line graph of G. Using this result and Lemmas 1 , 4 , 6 , the proof
of T h e o r e m 1 is obvious.

References

1 Bondy J A,Murty U S R. Graph Theory with Applications,New York:Macmillan,1976.

2 Lesniak L,Straight H J. The cochromatic number of a graph,Ars Combin,1977,3:34-46.
3 Erd6s P, Gimbel J, Straight H J. Chromatic number versus cochromatic number in graphs with
bounded clique size, European J Combin, 1990,11 : 235-240.
4 Michae'l M,Bruce R. Graph Coeoloring and The Probabilistic Method,Berlin:Springer,2002.

1 College of Mathematics and Information Science,Northwest Normal University,Gansu 730070,China.

2 College of Computer Science and Information Engineering,Northwest University for Nationalities ,Gansu
730030,China.