Graph Terminology and Special Types of Graphs

Discrete Mathematics

Graph Terminology and Special Types of Graphs 1

Definition
Two vertices u and v in an undirected graph G are called adjacent
(or neighbors) in G if u and v are endpoints of an edge of G .
If e is associated with {u, v }, the edge e is called incident with
the vertices u and v .
The edge e is also said to connect u and v .
The vertices u and v are called endpoints of an edge associated
with {u, v }.
u e v

Graph Terminology and Special Types of Graphs 2

Definition
The degree of a vertex in an undirected graph is the number of
edges incident with it, except that a loop at a vertex contributes
twice to the degree of a vertex.
The degree of the vertex v is denoted by deg(v ).
u e v

Graph Terminology and Special Types of Graphs 3

Definition
A vertex of degree zero is called isolated. It follows that an
isolated vertex is not adjacent to any vertex.
A vertex is pendant if and only if it has a degree one.
Consequently, a pendant vertex is adjacent to exactly one other
vertex.
u e v

Graph Terminology and Special Types of Graphs 4

Theorem
Let G = (V , E ) be an undirected graph with e edges. Then
X
2e = deg(v ).
v ∈V

Note that this applies even if multiple edges and loops are present.

Graph Terminology and Special Types of Graphs 5

Theorem
An undirected graph has an even number of vertices of odd degree.

Graph Terminology and Special Types of Graphs 6

Definition
When (u, v ) is an edge of the graph G with directed edges, u is
said to be adjacent to v and v is said to be adjacent from u.
The vertex u is called initial vertex of (u, v ) and v is called the
terminal or end vertex of (u, v ).
Remark: The initial vertex and and terminal vertex of a loop are
the same.

u v

Graph Terminology and Special Types of Graphs 7

Definition
In a graph with directed edges the in-degree of a vertex v ,
denoted by deg− (v ), is the number of edges with v as their
terminal vertex.
The out-degree of v , denoted by deg+ (v ), is the number of edges
with v as their initial vertex.
Note that a loop at a vertex contributes 1 to both the in-degree
and the out-degree of this vertex.

u v

Graph Terminology and Special Types of Graphs 8

Theorem
Let G = (V , E ) be a graph with directed edges. Then
X X
deg− (v ) = deg+ (v ) = |E |.
v ∈V v ∈V

Graph Terminology and Special Types of Graphs 9

Definition
The complete graph on n vertices, denoted by Kn , is the simple
graph that contains exactly one edge between each pair of distinct
vertices.

K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6

The graphs Kn for 1 ≤ n ≤ 6

Graph Terminology and Special Types of Graphs 10

Definition
The cycle Cn , n ≥ 3, consists of n vertices v1 , v2 , ..., vn and edges
{v1 , v2 }, {v2 , v3 }, ..., {vn−1 , vn } and {vn , v1 }.

C3 C4 C5 C6

The graphs Cn , 3 ≤ n ≤ 6

Graph Terminology and Special Types of Graphs 11

Definition
We obtain the wheel Wn when we add an additional vertex to the
cycle Cn for n ≥ 3 and connect this new vertex to each of the n
vertices in Cn , by new edges.

C3 C4 C5 C6

The graphs Wn for 3 ≤ n ≤ 6

Graph Terminology and Special Types of Graphs 12

Definition
The n-dimensional hypercube, or n-cube, denoted by Qn , is the
graph that has vertices representing the 2n bit strings of length n.
Two vertices are adjacent if and only if the bit strings that they
represent differ in exactly one bit position.
110 111
10 11 100 101

010 011

0 1 00 01 000 001
Q1 Q2 Q3

The graphs Qn for 1 ≤ n ≤ 3

Graph Terminology and Special Types of Graphs 13

Definition
A subgraph of a graph G = (V , E ) is a graph H = (W , F ) where
W ⊆ V and F ⊆ E .
v1 v2 v2

v6 v3 v6 v3

v5 v4 v4
G H

Graph Terminology and Special Types of Graphs 14

Definition
The union of two simple graphs G1 = (V1 , E1 ) and G2 = (V2 , E2 )
is the simple graph with vertex set V1 ∪ V2 and edge set E1 ∪ E2 .
The union of G1 and G2 is denoted by G1 ∪ G2 .
v1 v2 v1 v1 v2

v6 v3 v7 v6 v7 v3

v5 v4 v5 v5 v4
G1 G2 G1 ∪ G2

Graph Terminology and Special Types of Graphs 15

Definition
A simple graph is called regular if every vertex of this graph has
the same degree.
A regular graph is called n-regular if every vertex in this graph has
degree n.

Graph Terminology and Special Types of Graphs 16