Math236

Discrete Maths with Applications

P. Ittmann

UKZN, Pietermaritzburg

Semester 1, 2012

Ittmann (UKZN PMB) Math236 2012 1 / 19

Degree Sequences

Let G be a graph with vertex set

V G( ) = {v1 , v2 , v3 , . . . , vn }

The degree sequence of G is the sequence of numbers

deg v , deg v , deg v , . . . , deg vn

1 2 3

Ittmann (UKZN PMB) Math236 2012 2 / 19

Degree Sequences (cont.)
Example
Suppose we wish to nd the degree sequence of the following graph

There are two vertices of degree 1, two of degree 3 and one of degree 2

Hence the degree sequence is

3, 3, 2, 1, 1

Note we usually write degree sequences in non-increasing order

Ittmann (UKZN PMB) Math236 2012 3 / 19
Degree Sequences (cont.)

Example
Can
3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
be the degree sequence of some graph G ?

No it cannot

Since the graph would have 7 vertices with odd degree and

deg v 6= 2 · m
X

v ∈V

Ittmann (UKZN PMB) Math236 2012 4 / 19

Degree Sequences (cont.)

Denition
A sequence d1 , d2 , . . . , dn of non-negative integer is graphical if it is a
degree sequence of some graph

Ittmann (UKZN PMB) Math236 2012 5 / 19

Degree Sequences (cont.)

Example
Consider the following sequences
3, 3, 3, 3, 1
2, 2, 2, 0
4, 4, 4
5, 5, 4, 2, 0
Are these graphical?

We now introduce a powerful tool to determine whether a particular

sequence is graphical due to Havel and Hakimi

Ittmann (UKZN PMB) Math236 2012 6 / 19

Havel-Hakimi
Theorem
Let D be the sequence d1 d2 , , . . . , dn with d1 ≥ d2 ≥ · · · ≥ dn and

n ≥2

Let D
0 be the sequence obtained from D by

1 Discarding d1 , and,
2 Subtracting 1 from each of the next d1 entries of D

That is, D
0 is the sequence

d2 − 1, d3 − 1, . . . , dd1 +1 − 1, dd1 +2 , . . . , dn

Then, D is graphical if and only if D

0 is graphical

We give the proof later

Ittmann (UKZN PMB) Math236 2012 7 / 19
Havel-Hakimi (cont.)

Example
Consider the sequence 5, 3, 3, 3, 2, 2, 1, 1

Is it graphical?

Applying the Havel-Hakimi theorem

5, 3, 3, 3, 2, 2, 1, 1 is graphical i
2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1 is graphical i
1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 is graphical

This last sequence is graphical!

Hence, 5, 3, 3, 3, 2, 2, 1, 1 is graphical

Ittmann (UKZN PMB) Math236 2012 8 / 19

Havel-Hakimi (cont.)
Example
Is the sequence 6, 5, 5, 5, 4, 4, 2, 1 graphical?

Applying the Havel-Hakimi theorem

6, 5, 5, 5, 4, 4, 2, 1 is graphical i
4, 4, 4, 3, 3, 1, 1 is graphical i
3, 3, 2, 2, 1, 1 is graphical i
2, 1, 1, 1, 1 is graphical i
0, 0, 1, 1 is graphical

This last sequence is graphical!

Hence, 6, 5, 5, 5, 4, 4, 2, 1 is graphical
Ittmann (UKZN PMB) Math236 2012 9 / 19
Havel-Hakimi (cont.)

Example
Is the the sequence 8, 7, 6, 6, 5, 3, 2, 2, 2, 1 graphical?

Applying the Havel-Hakimi theorem

8, 7, 6, 6, 5, 3, 2, 2, 2, 1 is graphical i
6, 5, 5, 4, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1 is graphical i
4, 4, 3, 1, 0, 0, 1, 1 is graphical i
4, 4, 3, 1, 1, 1, 0, 0 is graphical (re-arranging) i
3, 2, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0 is graphical i
3, 2, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0 is graphical (re-arranging) i
1, 0, −1, 0, 0, 0 is graphical

Ittmann (UKZN PMB) Math236 2012 10 / 19

Havel-Hakimi (cont.)

Example
This last sequence is clearly not graphical

Hence, 8, 7, 6, 6, 5, 3, 2, 2, 2, 1 is not graphical

Ittmann (UKZN PMB) Math236 2012 11 / 19

Havel-Hakimi (cont.)

Given a sequence D , it is not necessarily easy to obtain a graph G

with degree sequence D

We can use the Havel-Hakimi theorem in reverse

Suppose D 0 is the sequence formed by H-H and we know a graph G

0

with degree sequence D 0

We can generate G by adding a vertex to G

0 and adding d1 edges as
necessary

Ittmann (UKZN PMB) Math236 2012 12 / 19

Havel-Hakimi (cont.)

Example
Let D be the sequence 4, 4, 4, 3, 3, 2

We prove that D is graphical and then draw a graph G with degree

sequence D

Ittmann (UKZN PMB) Math236 2012 13 / 19

Havel-Hakimi (cont.)

Example
Applying the Havel-Hakimi theorem
D : 4, 4, 4, 3, 3, 2 is graphical i

D1 : 3, 3, 2, 2, 2 is graphical i

D2 : 2, 1, 1, 2 is graphical i

D2 : 2, 2, 1, 1 is graphical i

D3 : 1, 0, 1 is graphical i

D3 : 1, 1, 0 is graphical i

D4 : 0, 0 is graphical

Ittmann (UKZN PMB) Math236 2012 14 / 19

Havel-Hakimi (cont.)

Example
Clearly 0, 0 is graphical and hence 4, 4, 4, 3, 3, 2 is graphical

We now work in reverse to obtain a graph G with degree sequence D

D3 D2 D1 D

Thus, we have found a graph with degree sequence 4, 4, 4, 3, 3, 2

Ittmann (UKZN PMB) Math236 2012 15 / 19

Havel-Hakimi (cont.)

We now prove the Havel-Hakimi theorem

Proof.
Suppose that the sequence D
0 is graphical

Let G1 be a graph of order n − 1 with degree sequence D

0

Then the vertices of G1 can be labelled as v2 , v3 , . . . , vn in such a way

that degG 0 (vi ) = di − 1 if 2 ≤ i ≤ d1 + 1 and d (vi ) = di if
d1 + 2 ≤ i ≤ n

We can now construct a new graph G from G1 by adding a new vertex

v1 and then joining v1 with an edge to each of v2 , v3 , . . . , vd +1
1

Ittmann (UKZN PMB) Math236 2012 16 / 19

Havel-Hakimi (cont.)

Proof.
The degree of v1 is d1

The degree of the other vertices are the remaining values of D

Thus, we have constructed a graph with degree sequence D , and so D

is graphical

We show next that if D is graphical, then D

0 is graphical

Assume that D is a graphical sequence

Therefore, there are one or more graphs of order n with degree

sequence D

Ittmann (UKZN PMB) Math236 2012 17 / 19

Havel-Hakimi (cont.)
Proof.
Among all such graphs, let G be one such that
V (G ) = {v1 , v2 , . . . , vn }, where degG (vi ) = di for 1 ≤ i ≤ n , and the

sum of the degrees of the vertices adjacent with v1 is maximum

We show that in G , the vertex v1 must be adjacent with vertices

having degrees d2 , d3 , . . . , dd1 +1

Suppose this is not the case

There must exist two vertices vj and vk with dj > dk such that v1 is
adjacent to vk , but not to vj

Since the degree of vj exceeds that of vk , there must be some vertex

v` such that v` is adjacent to vj , but not to vk

Ittmann (UKZN PMB) Math236 2012 18 / 19

Havel-Hakimi (cont.)
Proof.
Removing the edges v1 vk and vj v` and adding the edges v1 vj and vk v`
produces a new graph H that also has degree sequence D

However, in H the sum of the degrees of the vertices adjacent with v1

is larger than that in G , contradicting our choice of G

This contradiction argument veries that our initial assumption that

v1 is not adjacent with vertices having degrees d2 , d3 , . . . , dd +1 ) was
1
false

Thus, as claimed, v1 must be adjacent with vertices having degrees

, , . . . , dd1 +1
d2 d3

Hence, the graph obtained from G by removing v1 , together with all

the edges incident with v1 , produces a graph with degree sequence D 0 ,
so D 0 is graphical
Ittmann (UKZN PMB) Math236 2012 19 / 19