Characterization of Randomly $k$-Dimensional Graphs

Abstract

For an ordered set $W=\{w_1,w_2,\dots ,w_k\}$ of vertices and a vertex $v$ in a connected graph $G$, the ordered $k$-vector $r(v|W):=(d(v,w_1),d(v,w_2),\dots ,d(v,w_k))$ is called the (metric) representation of $v$ with respect to $W$, where $d(x,y)$ is the distance between the vertices $x$ and $y$. The set $W$ is called a resolving set for $G$ if distinct vertices of $G$ have distinct representations with respect to $W$. A minimum resolving set for $G$ is a basis of $G$ and its cardinality is the metric dimension of $G$. The resolving number of a connected graph $G$ is the minimum $k$ such that every $k$-set of vertices of $G$ is a resolving set. A connected graph $G$ is called randomly $k$-dimensional if each $k$-set of vertices of $G$ is a basis. In this paper, along with some properties of randomly $k$-dimensional graphs, we prove that a connected graph $G$ with at least two vertices is randomly $k$-dimensional if and only if $G$ is a complete graph $K_{k+1}$ or an odd cycle.