Beginning with the origin of the four color problem in 1852, the field of graph colorings has developed into one of the most popular areas of graph theory. Introducing graph theory with a coloring theme, Chromatic Graph Theory explores connections between major topics in graph theory and graph colorings as well as emerging topics.
This self-contained book first presents various fundamentals of graph theory that lie outside of graph colorings, including basic terminology and results, trees and connectivity, Eulerian and Hamiltonian graphs, matchings and factorizations, and graph embeddings. The remainder of the text deals exclusively with graph colorings. It covers vertex colorings and bounds for the chromatic number, vertex colorings of graphs embedded on surfaces, and a variety of restricted vertex colorings. The authors also describe edge colorings, monochromatic and rainbow edge colorings, complete vertex colorings, several distinguishing vertex and edge colorings, and many distance-related vertex colorings.
With historical, applied, and algorithmic discussions, this text offers a solid introduction to one of the most popular areas of graph theory.
The Origin of Graph Colorings
Introduction to Graphs
Fundamental Terminology
Connected Graphs
Distance in Graphs
Isomorphic Graphs
Common Graphs and Graph Operations
Multigraphs and Digraphs
Trees and Connectivity
Cut Vertices, Bridges, and Blocks
Trees
Connectivity and Edge-Connectivity
Menger’s Theorem
Eulerian and Hamiltonian Graphs
Eulerian Graphs
de Bruijn Digraphs
Hamiltonian Graphs
Matchings and Factorization
Matchings
Independence in Graphs
Factors and Factorization
Graph Embeddings
Planar Graphs and the Euler Identity
Hamiltonian Planar Graphs
Planarity versus Nonplanarity
Embedding Graphs on Surfaces
The Graph Minor Theorem
Introduction to Vertex Colorings
The Chromatic Number of a Graph
Applications of Colorings
Perfect Graphs
Bounds for the Chromatic Number
Color-Critical Graphs
Upper Bounds and Greedy Colorings
Upper Bounds and Oriented Graphs
The Chromatic Number of Cartesian Products
Coloring Graphs on Surfaces
The Four Color Problem
The Conjectures of Hajós and Hadwiger
Chromatic Polynomials
The Heawood Map-Coloring Problem
Restricted Vertex Colorings
Uniquely Colorable Graphs
List Colorings
Precoloring Extensions of Graphs
Edge Colorings of Graphs
The Chromatic Index and Vizing’s Theorem
Class One and Class Two Graphs
Tait Colorings
Nowhere-Zero Flows
List Edge Colorings
Total Colorings of Graphs
Monochromatic and Rainbow Colorings
Ramsey Numbers
Turán’s Theorem
Rainbow Ramsey Numbers
Rainbow Numbers of Graphs
Rainbow-Connected Graphs
The Road Coloring Problem
Complete Colorings
The Achromatic Number of a Graph
Graph Homomorphisms
The Grundy Number of a Graph
Distinguishing Colorings
Edge-Distinguishing Vertex Colorings
Vertex-Distinguishing Edge Colorings
Vertex-Distinguishing Vertex Colorings
Neighbor-Distinguishing Edge Colorings
Colorings, Distance, and Domination
T-Colorings
L(2, 1)-Colorings
Radio Colorings
Hamiltonian Colorings
Domination and Colorings
Epilogue
Appendix: Study Projects
General References
Bibliography
Index (Names and Mathematical Terms)
List of Symbols
Exercises appear at the end of each chapter.
Biography
Gary Chartrand, Ping Zhang
… The book is written in a student-friendly style with carefully explained proofs and examples and contains many exercises of varying difficulty. … The book is intended for standard courses in graph theory, reading courses and seminars on graph colourings, and as a reference book for individuals interested in graphs colourings.
… well-conceived and well-written book … written in a reader-friendly style, and there is a sufficient number of exercises at the end of each chapter.
—Zentralblatt MATH 1169
—Miklós Bóna, University of Florida, MAA Online, January 2009