An Acyclic Coloring of H-graph and Fan Graph

N. Ramya
Department of Mathematics, Bharath University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

A Term Paper Presented to

Prof. Ricky F. Rulete

Bachelor of Science in Mathematics
College of Arts and Sciences
University of Southeastern Philippines

In partial fulfillment of the requirement in Graph theory

ABEL E. SADJI
Bachelor of Science in Mathematics III
March 2016

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Graph coloring is a special case of graph labeling. It is an assignment of labels
traditionally called colors to elements of a graph subject to a certain constraints. In it simplest
form, it is a way of coloring the vertices of a graph such that no two adjacent vertices share the
same color. (Ramya, 2014)
Graph coloring is a branch of graph theory which deals with such partitioning problems.
Coloring of a graph is an assignment of colors to the elements like vertices or edges or faces
(regions) of a graph. (Babu & Chithra, 2013)
The first result about graph coloring, deal almost exclusively with planar graph in the
form of coloring the maps. While trying to color a map of the countries of England, Guthrie
postulated the four color conjecture, nothing that the four colors were sufficient to color the map
so that no regions sharing common border receives the same color. The problem was presented
earlier by August Mobins.
A proper vertex coloring (no two adjacent vertices have the same color) of a graph G is
said to be acyclic if the induced subgraph of any two color classes is acyclic. The minimum
number of colors required for acyclic coloring of a graph G is said to be its acyclic chromatic
number and is denoted by a(G). A proper vertex coloring of a graph is acyclic if every
cycle uses at least three colours. The acyclic chromatic number of Graph G, denoted by a(G),
is the minimum k such that G admits an acyclic k-colouring. (Thilagavathi & Babu, 2010)

DEFINITION OF TERMS
Definition 1: Chromatic number is the smallest number of colors needed to color a graph G.
Definition 2:

Acyclic coloring is a (proper) vertex coloring in which every 2-chromatic

subgraph is acyclic. (P. Shanas Babu, A.V. Chithra, 2013).

Definition 3: The acyclic chromatic number a(G) of a graph G is the least number of colors
needed in any acyclic coloring of G. (P. Shanas Babu, A.V. Chithra, 2013).
Definition 3: An H-graph H(r), is a 3-regular graph with vertex set {(i,j) : 1 i 3; 1 j 2r}

and edge set {(i,j), (i, j+1) i =1,3, 1 j 2r-1}

{( (1,1), (1,n), (3,1), (3,n) )}

{(i,j), (i+1, j+1)

i =1,2, 1 j 2r}.
Definition 4: The Fan Graph denoted by Fn can be constructed by joining n copies of the cycle
graph C3 with a common vertex. Fn is a planar undirected graph with 2n+1 vertices and 3 edges.
(Kavitha & David, 2012)
MAIN RESULTS
Theorem 1:
An H-graph H(r) is a 3- regular graph. We prove, Acyclic Chromatic number of H(r) is 3.
Proof:
Coloring has to be given as;
Step 1: the left arm of H(1) can be labeled as 1, 2, 3 and the right arm of H(1) can be labeled as
2,3,1.

Step 2: we labeled H(1) as given in step 1. H(2) can be labeled as, in addition to the H(1), in H(2)
left arm of H(2) can be labeled as 1,2,3 and the right arm of H(2) can be labeled as 3,2,1.
Step 3: we labeled H(1) and H(2) as given in step 1 and 2. Similarly H(3) can be labeled as, left
arm of H(3) can be labeled as 1,2,3 and right arm can be labeled as 2,3,1.
Step 4: In general, in H(r), if r is odd, in left arm 1 is always incident with 2 and 3 is incident
with 1. If r is even, in left arm first vertex 1 is incident with last vertex 3. Similarly the last vertex
3 is incident with 2.
EXAMPLE 1:

EXAMPLE2:

If r is even

If r is odd

H(
2)

H(
3)

Acyclic Chromatic number is Acyclic

3.
Chromatic number is 3.
Other Example:
If

r = 4,

Acyclic Chromatic number is 3.

Theorem 2:
Acyclic Chromatic number of Fan Graph is always 3.
Proof:
Step 1:
In Fan graph, central vertex has to be colored 1. Then the wings of the graph has to be given 2, 3.

Step 2:
If the wings of the fan increase, the acyclic chromatic number does not change. It remains 3
Example 1:

Example 2:

Acyclic Chromatic number is 3.

Acyclic Chromatic number is 3.

Other Examples:

CONCLUSION
Hence Acyclic Coloring has been given for H-graph and fan graph by unique way. Similarly we
can give coloring by programming concepts.
REFERENCES
Babu, P. S., & Chithra, A. V. (2013). Further Results on Acyclic Chromatic Number. Open
Journal of Discrete Mathematics, 97-100.
Kavitha, K., & David, N. G. (2012). DOMINATOR COLORING OF SOME CLASSES OF
GRAPHS. International Journal of Mathematical Archive, 3954-3957.
Ramya, N. (2014). An Acyclic Coloring of H-graph and Fan Graph. International Journal of
Innovative Research in Science, Engineering and Technology, 18027-18029.
Thilagavathi, D. K., & Babu, M. P. (2010, September). A Note on Acyclic Coloring of Central
Graphs. International Journal of Computer Application, 28-30.