National University of Computer & Emerging Sciences
MT-3001 Graph Theory
Instructor: Miss Urooj
GRAPH COLORING
VERTEX COLORING:
Any graph we consider can be simple or have multi-edges but cannot have loops, since a vertex with a loop
could never be assigned a color. In any graph coloring problem, we want to determine the smallest value
for k for which a graph has a k-coloring. This value for k is called the chromatic number of a graph.
The chromatic number χ(G) of G can well be defined as the minimum number k such that V(G) is
partitioned into k pairwise disjoint independent sets in G.
Explanation & Example:
Cycles:
1
Remarks:
Wheels:
The next structure that provides additional reasoning for the lower bound of the chromatic number is
based upon an odd cycle.
In general, we can use odd wheels to explain why 3 colors will not suffice.
Complete Graph:
2
Clique and Clique size:
The clique size of a graph automatically provides a nice lower bound for the chromatic number.
For example: if G contains K5 as a subgraph, then we know this portion of the graph needs at least 5
colors. Thus χ(G) ≥ 5.
Remarks:
3
Computation of chromatic Number: