Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2022/ii/paper-1/17f/d/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2022 ii Paper 1 17F d Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
The edge chromatic number is the least number of colors in a proper coloring of edges, where incident edges receive distinct colors. Hall marriage theorem says a bipartite graph has a matching saturating one side exactly when for every subset of that side.
In a 4-regular bipartite graph, the edges leaving all enter , whose vertices can receive at most such edges. Hence Hall's condition holds and there is a perfect matching. Remove it and repeat in the resulting 3-, 2-, and 1-regular bipartite graphs. The four perfect matchings give a four-edge-coloring, while every vertex requires four distinct colors. Therefore
New to topics? Read the docs here!