Ars Combinatoria

ISSN 0381-7032 (print), 2817-5204 (online)

Ars Combinatoria is the oldest Canadian Journal of Combinatorics, established in 1976. The journal is dedicated to advancing the field of combinatorial mathematics through the publication of high-quality research papers. From 2024 onward, it publishes four volumes per year in March, June, September and December. Ars Combinatoria has gained recognition and visibility in the academic community and is indexed in renowned databases such as MathSciNet, Zentralblatt, and Scopus. The Scope of the journal includes Graph theory, Design theory, Extremal combinatorics, Enumeration, Algebraic combinatorics, Combinatorial optimization, Ramsey theory, Automorphism groups, Coding theory, Finite geometries, Chemical graph theory but not limited.

HL. Abbott1, M. Katchalski2
1Department of Mathematics University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2G1 Canada
2 Department of Mathematics The Technion Haifa Israel
Abstract:

Ramsey’s Theorem implies that for any graph \(H\) there is a least integer \(r = r(H)\) such that if \(G\) is any graph of order at least \(r\) then either \(G\) or its complement contains \(H\) as a subgraph. For \(n<r\) and \(0 \leq e \leq \frac{1}{2}n(n-1)\), let \(f(e) =1\) {if every graph \(G\) of order \(n\) and size \(e\) is such that either \(G\) or \(\overline{G}\) contains \(H\),} and let \(f(e)=0\) {otherwise.} This associates with the pair \((H,n)\) a binary sequence \(S(H,n)\). By an interval of \(S(H,n)\) we mean a maximal string of equal terms. We show that there exist infinitely many pairs \((H,n)\) for which \(S(H,n)\) has seven intervals.

Thomas Kélmel1
1Mathematisches Institut der Universitat Im Neuenheimer Feld 288 D-69120 Heidelberg Germany
Abstract:

In this paper the existence of the \(12140\) non-isomorphic symmetric \((49,16,5)\) designs with an involutory homology (this is a special kind of involution acting on a design) is propagated. The automorphism groups are cyclic of orders \(2\), \(4\), \(8\), or \(10\). \(218\) designs are self-dual. The \(40\) designs with an automorphism group of order \(10\) were already given in [2]. A computer (IBM \(3090\)) was used for about \(36\) hours CPU time. According to [2,4] now there are known \(12146\) symmetric \((49,16,5)\) designs.

Jagdish Saran1, Sarita Rani1
1 Department of Statistics Faculty of Mathematical Sciences University of Delhi Delhi – 110007, India
Abstract:

This paper deals with the joint distributions of some characteristics of the two-dimensional simple symmetric random walk in which a particle at any stage moves one unit in any one of the four directions, namely, north, south, east, and west with equal probability.

Zhibo Chen 1
1Department of Mathematics Penn State University McKeesport, PA 15132, USA
Abstract:

In \(1974\), G. Chartrand and R.E. Pippert first defined locally connected and locally \(n\)-connected graphs and obtained some interesting results. In this paper we first extend these concepts to digraphs. We obtain generalizations of some results of Chartrand and Pippert and establish relationships between local connectedness and global connectedness in digraphs.

Frantisek Franek1
1Department of Computer Science and Systems McMaster University Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1 Canada
Abstract:

An infinite countable Steiner triple system is called universal if any countable Steiner triple system can be embedded into it. The main result of this paper is the proof of non-existence of a universal Steiner triple system.

The fact is proven by constructing a family \(\mathcal{S}\) of size \(2^{\omega}\) of infinite countable Steiner triple systems so that no finite Steiner triple system can be embedded into any of the systems from \(\mathcal{S}\) and no infinite countable Steiner triple system can be embedded into any two of the systems from \(\mathcal{S}\) (it follows that the systems from \(\mathcal{S}\) are pairwise non-isomorphic).

A Steiner triple system is called rigid if the only automorphism it admits is the trivial one — the identity. An additional result presented in this paper is a construction of a family of size \(2^{\omega}\) of pairwise non-isomorphic infinite countable rigid Steiner triple systems.

Tsuyoshi Nishimura1
1 Department of Mathematics Shibaura Institute of Technology Fukasaku, Omiya 330 Japan
Abstract:

A graph \(G\) having a \(1\)-factor is called \(n\)-extendable if every matching of size \(n\) extends to a 1-factor. We show that
if \(G\) is a connected graph of order \(2p (p \geq 3)\), and g and n are integers, \(1 \leq n < q < p\), such that every induced connected subgraph of order \(2q\) is \(n\)-extendable, then \(G\) is n-extendable.

J.E. Simpson1
1 Department of Mathematics University of Kentucky Lexington, KY 40506 U.S.A.
Abstract:

Certain graphs whose vertices are some collection of subsets of a fixed \(n\)-set, with edges determined by set intersection in some way, have long been conjectured to be Hamiltonian. We are particularly concerned with graphs whose vertex set consists of all subsets of a fixed size \(k\), with edges determined by empty intersection, on the one hand, and with bigraphs whose vertices are all subsets of either size \(k\) or size \(n-k\), with adjacency determined by set inclusion, on the other. In this note, we verify the conjecture for some classes of these graphs. In particular, we show how to derive a Hamiltonian cycle in such a bigraph from a Hamiltonian path in a quotient of a related graph of the first kind (based on empty intersection). We also use a recent generalization of the Chvatal-Erdos theorem to show that certain of these bigraphs are indeed Hamiltonian.

Adam Malinowski1
1Institute of Informatics Warsaw University
Abstract:

We determine the minimal number of queries sufficient to find an unknown integer \(x\) between \(1\) and \(n\) if at most one answer may be erroneous. The admissible form of query is: “Which one of the disjoint sets \(A_1, \ldots, A_k\) does \(x\) belong to?”

Jianxing Yin1
1Dept. of Mathematics of Suzhou University Suzhou, 215006 PBR. of China
Abstract:

A \(\lambda\)-packing of pairs by quintuples of a \(v\)-set \(V\) is a family of \(5\)-subsets of \(V\) (called blocks) such that every \(2\)-subset of \(V\) occurs in at most \(\lambda\) blocks. The packing number is defined to be the maximum number of blocks in such a \(\lambda\)-packing. These numbers are determined here for \(\lambda \equiv 0 \mod 4\) and all integers \(v \geq 5\) with the exceptions of \((v, \lambda) \in \{(22, 16), (22, 36), (27, 16)\}\).

G.B. Ehosrovshahi 1, F. Vatan2
1Center for Theoretical Phyaics and Mathematics Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran and Department of Mathematica and Computer Science University of Tehran Tehran, Iran
2Center for Theoretical Physics and Mathematics Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and Department of Mathematica Isfahan University of Technology Isfahan, Iran
Abstract:

Recently, there has been substantial interest in the problem of the spectrum of possible support sizes of different families of BIB designs. In this paper, we first prove some theorems concerning the spectrum of any \(t\)-design with \(v = 2k\) and \(k = t + 1\), and then we study the spectrum of the case \(4-(10, 5, 6m)\) in more detail.

E-mail Alert

Add your e-mail address to receive upcoming issues of Ars Combinatoria.

Special Issues

The Combinatorial Press Editorial Office routinely extends invitations to scholars for the guest editing of Special Issues, focusing on topics of interest to the scientific community. We actively encourage proposals from our readers and authors, directly submitted to us, encompassing subjects within their respective fields of expertise. The Editorial Team, in conjunction with the Editor-in-Chief, will supervise the appointment of Guest Editors and scrutinize Special Issue proposals to ensure content relevance and appropriateness for the journal. To propose a Special Issue, kindly complete all required information for submission;