Cayley graphs
Cayley graphs are a type of graph used in group theory to represent the structure of a group in a visual and geometric way. Named after the mathematician Arthur Cayley, these graphs provide insight into the group's properties, including symmetries and relationships among its elements. ### Definition: A Cayley graph is constructed from a group \( G \) and a generating set \( S \) of that group.
Regular graphs
A **regular graph** is a type of graph in which each vertex has the same number of edges, or connections, to other vertices. The degree of each vertex in a regular graph is constant. There are two main types of regular graphs: 1. **k-regular graph**: A graph is called k-regular (or simply regular) if every vertex has degree k.
Adjacency algebra
Adjacency algebra is a mathematical framework used primarily in the field of graph theory and network analysis. It focuses on the representation and manipulation of graphs using algebraic techniques. The core concept of adjacency algebra revolves around the adjacency matrix of a graph, which is a square matrix used to represent a finite graph.
Adjacency matrix
An adjacency matrix is a square matrix used to represent a finite graph. It indicates whether pairs of vertices (or nodes) in the graph are adjacent (i.e., connected directly by an edge) or not. Here's how it works: 1. **Matrix Structure**: The size of the adjacency matrix is \( n \times n \), where \( n \) is the number of vertices in the graph. Each row and column of the matrix corresponds to a vertex in the graph.
Algebraic connectivity
Algebraic connectivity is a concept from graph theory that measures the connectivity of a graph in a specific way. It is defined as the smallest non-zero eigenvalue of the Laplacian matrix of a connected graph.
Alon–Boppana bound
The Alon–Boppana bound is a result in the field of graph theory and spectral graph theory. It provides a lower bound on the largest eigenvalue (also known as the spectral radius) of a regular graph. More formally, let \( G \) be a \( d \)-regular graph on \( n \) vertices.
Babai's problem
Babai's problem, named after mathematician László Babai, is a computational problem related to the field of group theory and complexity theory, particularly in the context of lattice problems. The problem specifically deals with the challenge of finding the closest lattice vector to a given point in high-dimensional space.
Brouwer's conjecture
Brouwer's conjecture, proposed by the Dutch mathematician L.E.J. Brouwer in the early 20th century, is a statement in the field of topology, particularly concerning the nature of continuous functions and fixed points. Specifically, the conjecture asserts that every continuous function from a compact convex set to itself has at least one fixed point.
Centrality
Centrality is a concept used in various fields, including mathematics, network theory, sociology, and data analysis, to measure the importance or influence of a node (such as a person, organization, or computer) within a network. The idea is that some nodes hold more power or are more significant than others based on their position and connections within the network.
Clustering coefficient
The clustering coefficient is a measure used in network theory to quantify the degree to which nodes in a graph tend to cluster together. It provides a way to understand the local structure of a network. There are two main types of clustering coefficients: the local clustering coefficient and the global clustering coefficient.
Complex network zeta function
The complex network zeta function is a mathematical tool used in the study of complex networks, which are structures characterized by interconnected nodes (or vertices) and edges (or links). This zeta function is often associated with certain properties of the network, such as its topology, dynamics, or spectral characteristics. ### Key Concepts 1. **Complex Networks**: These are graphs with complex structures, which can represent various real-world systems, such as social networks, transportation systems, biological networks, etc.
Conductance (graph)
In graph theory, conductance is a measure that indicates how well a graph can conduct flow between its parts. It is typically used in the context of studying random walks or the mixing properties of a graph. Conductance helps understand how well connected different regions (or communities) of a graph are.
Conference matrix
A conference matrix is a concept mainly used in combinatorics, specifically in the study of error-correcting codes, design theory, and graph theory. It is related to structured arrangements of points and lines, usually in the context of finite groups and their applications. More formally, a conference matrix is an \( n \times n \) matrix, where \( n \) is an even integer, that has specific properties: 1. The entries of the matrix are either 0 or 1.
Cycle basis
In graph theory, a **cycle basis** of a graph is a minimal set of cycles such that any cycle in the graph can be expressed as a combination of these cycles. Specifically, for a connected graph, a cycle basis serves as a framework for the cycles of the graph. ### Key Points: 1. **Cycles**: A cycle in a graph is a path that starts and ends at the same vertex, with no other vertices repeated.
Cycle space
In the context of graph theory, a **cycle space** is a fundamental concept associated with the study of cycles in graphs. Specifically, it is a vector space formed by the cycles of a graph when considered over a field (typically the field of two elements, often denoted as GF(2)). Here’s a more detailed breakdown: 1. **Graph Basics**: A graph is defined as a collection of vertices (or nodes) connected by edges.
Degree matrix
In the context of graph theory, the degree matrix is a square diagonal matrix that is used to represent the degrees of the vertices in a graph. Specifically, for a simple undirected graph \( G \) with \( n \) vertices, the degree matrix \( D \) is defined as follows: 1. The matrix \( D \) is of size \( n \times n \). 2. The diagonal entries of \( D \) are the degrees of the corresponding vertices in the graph.
Distance-regular graph
A distance-regular graph is a specific type of graph that has a high degree of regularity in the distances between pairs of vertices. Formally, a graph \( G \) is said to be distance-regular if it satisfies the following conditions: 1. **Regularity**: The graph is \( k \)-regular, meaning each vertex has exactly \( k \) neighbors.
Dual graph
In graph theory, a dual graph is a construction that relates to a planar graph. To understand dual graphs, it's important to start with the concept of a planar graph itself. A planar graph is a graph that can be drawn on a plane without any edges crossing. ### Key Concepts of Dual Graphs 1. **Vertices of the Dual Graph**: For every face (region) in the original planar graph, there is a corresponding vertex in the dual graph.