Ars Combinatoria

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

Ars Combinatoria is the oldest Canadian journal of combinatorics, established in 1976, dedicated to advancing combinatorial mathematics through the publication of high-quality, peer-reviewed research papers. Over the decades, it has built a strong international reputation and continues to serve as a leading platform for significant contributions to the field.
Open Access:  The journal follows the Diamond Open Access model—completely free for both authors and readers, with no article processing charges (APCs). 
Publication Frequency: From 2024 onward, Ars Combinatoria publishes four issues annually—in March, June, September, and December.
Scope: Publishes research in all areas of combinatorics, including graph theory, design theory, enumeration, algebraic combinatorics, combinatorial optimization and related fields.
Indexing & Abstracting:  Indexed in MathSciNet, Zentralblatt MATH, and EBSCO, ensuring wide visibility and scholarly reach.
Rapid Publication: Submissions are processed efficiently, with accepted papers published promptly in the next available issue.
Print & Online Editions: Issues are available in both print and online formats to serve a broad readership.

P. Jeyanthi1, P. Selvagopal2
1Department of Mathematics, Govindammal Aditanar College for Women, Tiruchendur 628 215, India
2Department of Mathematics, Lord Jegannath College of Engineering & Technology, PSN Nagar, Ramanathichanputhur, Marungoor 629 402, India.
Abstract:

A simple graph \(G = (V, E)\) admits an \(H\)-covering if every edge in \(E\) belongs to a subgraph of \(G\) isomorphic to \(H\). We say that \(G\) is \(H\)-magic if there exists a total labeling \(f: V \cup E \rightarrow \{1, 2, \ldots, |V| + |E| + 1\}\) such that for each subgraph \(H’ = (V’, E”)\) of \(G\) isomorphic to \(H\),
\(\sum_{v \in V’} f(v) + \sum_{e \in E”} f(e)\)
is constant.

When \(f(V) = \{1, 2, \ldots, |V|\}\), then \(G\) is said to be \(H\)-supermagic.

In this paper, we show that all prism graphs \(C_n \times P_m\), except for \(n = 4\), the ladder graph \(P_3 \times P_n\), and the grid \(P_3 \times P_n\), are \(C_4\)-supermagic.

Yunsheng Zhang1, Yichao Chen2, Yanpei Liu3
1Business SCHOOL, HUNAN UNIVERSITY, 410082 CHANGSHA, CHINA
2COLLEGE OF MATHEMATICS AND ECONOMETRICS, HUNAN UNIVERSITY, 410082 CHANG- SHA, CHINA
3MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT, BEING JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY, BEING, 100044, CHINA
Abstract:

The average crosscap number of a graph \(G\) is the expected value of the crosscap number random variable, over all labeled \(2\)-cell non-orientable embeddings of \(G\). In this study, some experimental results for average crosscap number are obtained. We calculate all average crosscap numbers of graphs with Betti number less than \(5\). As a special case, the smallest ten values of average crosscap number are determined. The distribution of average crosscap numbers of all graphs in \({R}\) is sparse. Some structure theorems for average crosscap number with a given or bounded value are provided. The exact values of average crosscap numbers of cacti and necklaces are determined. The crosscap number distributions of cacti and necklaces of type \((r,0)\) are proved to be strongly unimodal, and the mode of the embedding distribution sequence is upper-rounding or lower-rounding of its average crosscap number. Some open problems are also proposed.

Abdollah Khodkar1, B.P. Mobaraky2, S.M. Sheikholeslami2
1 Department of Mathematics University of West Georgia Carrollton, GA 30118
2Department of Mathematics Azarbaijan University of Tarbiat Moallem Tabriz, LR. Iran
Abstract:

A Roman dominating function of a graph \(G\) is a labeling \(f: V(G) \rightarrow \{0,1,2\}\) such that every vertex with label \(0\) has a neighbor with label \(2\). The Roman domination number \(\gamma_R(G)\) of \(G\) is the minimum of \(\sum_{v \in V(G)} f(v)\) over such functions. The Roman domination subdivision number \(sd_{\gamma R}(G)\) is the minimum number of edges that must be subdivided (each edge in \(G\) can be subdivided at most once) in order to increase the Roman domination number.

In this paper, we prove that if \(G\) is a graph of order \(n \geq 4\) such that \(\overline{G}\) and \(G\) have connected components of order at least \(3\), then
\(sd_{\gamma R}(G) + sd_{\gamma R}(\overline{G}) \leq \left\lfloor \frac{n}{2} \right\rfloor + 3.\)

Allan Frendrup1, Ander Sune Pedersen 2, Alexander A.Sapozhenko3, Preben Dahl Vestergaard4
1 Dept. of Mathematics, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7 G, 9220 Aalborg gst, Denmark
2Dept. of Mathematics & Computer Science, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense M, Denmark
3Lomonosov University of Moscow Faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics Leninskie Gory, 119992 Moscow, Russia
4 Dept. of Mathematics, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7 G, 9220 Aalborg gst, Denmark
Abstract:

In \textit{Ars Comb.} \({84} (2007), 85-96\), Pedersen and Vestergaard posed the problem of determining a lower bound for the number of independent sets in a tree of fixed order and diameter \(d\). Asymptotically, we give here a complete solution for trees of diameter \(d \leq 5\). The lower bound is \(5^{\frac{n}{3}}\) and we give the structure of the extremal trees. A generalization to connected graphs is stated.

Zemin Jin1, Lifen Li1
1Department of Mathematics, Zhejiang Normal University Jinhua 321004, P.R. China
Abstract:

Let \(\mathcal{G}\) be a family of graphs. The anti-Ramsey number \(\text{AR}(n, \mathcal{G})\) for \(\mathcal{G}\) is the maximum number
of colors in an edge coloring of \(K_n\) that has no rainbow copy of
any graph in \(\mathcal{G}\). In this paper, we determine the bipartite anti-Ramsey number for the family of trees with
\(k\) edges.

Xingchao Deng1, Jixiang Meng1
1 College of Mathematics and System Sciences, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830046, China
Abstract:

Let \(G\) be a finite group of order \(n\) and \(S\) (possibly containing the identity element) be a subset of \(G\). The Bi-Cayley graph
\(\text{BC}(G, S)\) of \(G\) is a bipartite graph with vertex set \(G \times \{0, 1\}\) and edge set \(\{(g, 0), (gs, 1) \mid g \in G, s \in S\}\). Let \(p\) (\(0 < p < 1\)) be a fixed number.We define \({B} = \{\text{BC}(G, S) \mid S \subseteq G\}\) as a sample space and assign a probability measure by requiring \(P_r(X) = p^k q^{n-k}\) for \(X = \text{BC}(G, S)\) with \(|S| = k\), where \(q = 1-p\). It is shown that the probability of the set of Bi-Cayley graphs of \(G\) with diameter \(3\) approaches \(1\) as the order \(n\) of \(G\) approaches infinity.

Mustafa Asci1, Esref Gurel2
1PAMUKKALE UNIVERSITY SCIENCE AND ARTS FACULTY DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS KINIKLI Denizil TURKEY
2PAMUKKALE UNIVERSITY SCIENCE AND ARTS FACULTY DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS KiniKLI DENizLI TURKEY
Abstract:

In this study, we define and investigate the Gaussian Jacobsthal and Gaussian Jacobsthal Lucas numbers. We derive generating functions, Binet formulas, explicit formulas, and matrix representations for these numbers. Additionally, we present explicit combinatorial and determinantal expressions, examine negatively subscripted numbers, and establish various identities. Our results parallel those for the Jacobsthal and Jacobsthal Lucas numbers, yielding interesting consequences for the Gaussian Jacobsthal and Gaussian Jacobsthal Lucas numbers.

Haichao Wang1, Erfang Shan1
1Department of Mathematics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
Abstract:

A signed total \(k\)-dominating function of a graph \(G = (V, E)\) is a function \(f: V \rightarrow \{+1, -1\}\) such that for every vertex \(v\), the sum of the values of \(f\) over the open neighborhood of \(v\) is at least \(k\). A signed total \(k\)-dominating function \(f\) is minimal if there does not exist a signed total \(k\)-dominating function \(g\), \(f \neq g\), for which \(g(v) \leq f(v)\) for every \(v \in V\).The weight of a signed total \(k\)-dominating function is \(w(f) = \sum_{v \in V} f(v)\). The signed total \(k\)-domination number of \(G\), denoted by \(\gamma_{t,k}^s(G)\), is the minimum weight of a signed total \(k\)-dominating function on \(G\).The upper signed total \(k\)-domination number \(\Gamma_{t,k}^s(G)\) of \(G\) is the maximum weight of a minimal signed total \(k\)-dominating function on \(G\).
In this paper, we present sharp lower bounds on \(\gamma_{t,k}^s(G)\) for general graphs and \(K_{r+1}\)-free graphs and characterize the extremal graphs attaining some lower bounds. Also, we give a sharp upper bound on \(\Gamma_{t,k}^s(G)\) for an arbitrary graph.

Martin Knor1, Primoz Potoénik2
1Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Slovak University of Tech- nology, Radlinského 11, 813 68 Bratislava, Slovakia,
2Paculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, AND Institute of Mathematics, Physics, and Mechanics, Jadranska 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia, primoz,
Abstract:

We show that a \(2\)-subset-regular self-complementary \(3\)-uniform hypergraph with \(7\) vertices exists if and only if \(n \geq 6\) and \(n\) is congruent to \(2\) modulo \(4\).

Victor Kostyuk1, Darren Narayan2
1Department of Mathematics Cornell University
2 School of Mathematical Sciences Rochester Institute of Technology
Abstract:

Given a graph \(G\), a function \(f: V(G) \to \{1, 2, \ldots, k\}\) is a \(k\)-ranking of \(G\) if \(f(u) = f(v)\) implies every \(u-v\)
path contains a vertex \(w\) such that \(f(w) > f(u)\). A \(k\)-ranking is minimal if the reduction of any label greater
than \(1\) violates the described ranking property.The \(arank\) number of a graph, denoted \(\psi_r(G)\),
is the maximum \(k\) such that \(G\) has a minimal \(k\)-ranking.We establish new properties for minimal rankings and present
new results for the \(arank\) number of a cycle.