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Graph Coloring

Graph coloring involves assigning colors to vertices of a graph such that adjacent vertices have different colors, with the chromatic number representing the minimum number of colors needed. The four color theorem states that any planar graph can be colored with no more than four colors. Various types of graphs, such as complete graphs and trees, have specific chromatic numbers based on their structure.

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Faisal Khan
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10 views14 pages

Graph Coloring

Graph coloring involves assigning colors to vertices of a graph such that adjacent vertices have different colors, with the chromatic number representing the minimum number of colors needed. The four color theorem states that any planar graph can be colored with no more than four colors. Various types of graphs, such as complete graphs and trees, have specific chromatic numbers based on their structure.

Uploaded by

Faisal Khan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Graph Colouring

edg
vertex e
(node)

Vertex degree is 3
Coloring maps
• Color a map such that two regions with a common
border are assigned different colors.

• Each map can be represented by a graph:


– Each region of the map is represented by a vertex;
– Edges connect two vertices if the regions represented by these vertices
have a common border.
Coloring Graphs
• Definition: A graph has been colored if a color
has been assigned to each vertex in such a
way that adjacent vertices have different colors.

• Definition: The chromatic number of a graph is


the smallest number of colors with which it can
be colored.
In the example above, the chromatic number is 4.
Coloring Planar Graphs
• Definition: A graph is planar if it can be
drawn in a plane without edge-crossings.

• The four color theorem: For every planar


graph, the chromatic number is ≤ 4.
Was posed as a conjecture in the 1850s. Finally proved
in 1976 (Appel and Haken) by the aid of computers.
Coloring a Graph
Step 1: Choose a vertex with highest degree, and
color it. Use the same color to color as
many vertices as you can without coloring
vertices joined by an edge of the same
color.
Step 2: Choose a new color, and repeat what you
did in Step 1 for vertices not already
colored.
Step 3: Repeat Step 1 until all vertices are colored.
Example: Coloring a Graph
Color the graph below and give its chromatic number .

Solution
Its chromatic number is
3.
Graph Colouring

Graph Colouring Problem:


Given a graph, colour all the vertices so that
two adjacent vertices get different colours.

Objective: use minimum number of colours.

3-colourable
Optimal Colouring

Definition. min #colors for G is chromatic number,


(G)

What graphs have chromatic number one?

when there are no edges…

What graphs have chromatic number 2?

What graphs have chromatic number larger than 2?

A path? A cycle? A triangle?


Simple Cycles

 (Ceven ) =2

 (Codd ) =3
Complete Graphs

 (Kn ) =n
Wheels

W5
 (Wodd ) =4  (Weven ) =3
Trees

root

Pick any vertex as “root.”

if (unique) path from root is

Start :

Next :

Can prove more formally using induction (classwork).


Chromatic Number

How do we estimate the chromatic number of a graph?

If there is a complete subgraph of size k,


then we need at least k colours? YES

Is the converse true?

If a graph has no complete subgraph of size 4,


then we can colour it using 4 colours? NO

What graphs are 3-colourable?

No one knows…

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