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.

Ramazan Karatas1
1Department of Mathematics, A. Kelesoglu Education Faculty, Selcuk University, Meram Yeni Yol, Konya, TURKIYE
Abstract:

In this paper, we study the global behavior of the nonnegative equilibrium points of the difference equation

\[x_{n+1} = \frac{ax_{n-2l}}{b+c\prod\limits_{i=0}^{k+1}x_{n-2i}}, \quad n=0,1,\ldots,\]

where \(a\), \(b\), and \(c\) are nonnegative parameters, initial conditions are nonnegative real numbers, and \(k\) and \(l\) are nonnegative integers, with \(l \leq k+1\).

A. Barghi1, H. Shahmohamad1
1Department of Mathematics & Statistics Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623
Abstract:

The chromatic polynomial of a graph \(\Gamma\), \(C(\Gamma; \lambda)\), is the polynomial in \(\lambda\) which counts the number of distinct proper vertex \(\lambda\)-colorings of \(\Gamma\), given \(\lambda\) colors. By applying the addition-contraction method, chromatic polynomials of some sequences of \(2\)-connected graphs satisfy a number of recursive relations. We will show that by knowing the chromatic polynomial of a few small graphs, the chromatic polynomial of each of these sequences can be computed by utilizing either matrices or generating functions.

Xia Zhang1, Guizhen Liu2, Jiansheng Cai3, Jianfeng Hou4
1Department of Mathematics, Shandong Normal University Jinan 250014, China
2School of Mathematics, Shandong University Jinan 250100, China
3School of Mathematics and Information Sciences, Weifang University Weifang 261061, China
4Center for Discrete Mathematics, Fuzhou University Fuzhou 350002, China
Abstract:

An \(f\)-coloring of a graph \(G\) is an edge-coloring of \(G\) such that each color appears at each vertex \(v \in V(G)\) at most \(f(v)\) times. The minimum number of colors needed to \(f\)-color \(G\) is called the \(f\)-chromatic index of \(G\). A simple graph \(G\) is of \(f\)-class 1 if the \(f\)-chromatic index of \(G\) equals \(\Delta_f(G)\), where \(\Delta_f(G) = \max_{v\in V(G)}\{\left\lceil\frac{d(v)}{f(v)}\right\rceil\}\). In this article, we find a new sufficient condition for a simple graph to be of \(f\)-class 1, which is strictly better than a condition presented by Zhang and Liu in 2008 and is sharp. Combining the previous conclusions with this new condition, we improve a result of Zhang and Liu in 2007.

Ken Gray1, Anne Penfold Street1, R G Stanton2
1Mathematics, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
2Computer Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg R3T 2N2, Canada
Abstract:

We provide the specifics of how affine planes of orders three, four, and five can be used to partition the full design comprising all triples on \(9, 16\), and \(25\) elements, respectively. Key results of the approach for order five are generalized to reveal when there is potential for using suitable affine planes of order \(n\) to partition the complete sets of \(n^2\) triples into sets of mutually disjoint triples covering either all \(n^2\), or else precisely \(n^2 – 1\), elements.

Alev Firat1
1Ece UNIVERSITY, FACULTY oF SCIENCE, DEPARTMENT OF MaTHEMaTics, 35100- Izmir, TURKEY
Abstract:

In this paper, the notion of left-right and right-left \(f\)-derivation of a BCC-algebra is introduced, and some related properties are investigated. Also, we consider regular \(f\)-derivation and \(d\)-invariant on \(f\)-ideals in BCC-algebras.

Xiang Tan1,2, Hong-Yu Chen1, Jian-Liang Wu1
1School of Mathematics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250100, China
2School of Statistics and Mathematics, Shandong University of Finance, Jinan, Shandong, 250014, China
Abstract:

Let \(G\) be a planar graph with maximum degree \(\Delta\). It’s proved that if \(\Delta \geq 5\) and \(G\) does not contain \(5\)-cycles and \(6\)-cycles, then \(la(G) = \lceil\frac{\Delta(G)}{2}\rceil\).

Hortensia Galeana-Sanchez1, Rocio Rojas-Monroy1,2
1Instituto de Mateméticas Universidad Nacional Auténoma de México Ciudad Universitaria, México, D.F. 04510 México
2Facultad de Ciencias Universidad Auténoma de] Estado de México Instituto Literario No. 100, Centro 50000, Toluca, Edo. de México México
Abstract:

We call the digraph \(D\) an \(m\)-coloured digraph if the arcs of \(D\) are coloured with \(m\) colours. A subdigraph \(H\) of \(D\) is called monochromatic if all of its arcs are coloured alike.

A set \(N \subseteq V(D)\) is said to be a kernel by monochromatic paths if it satisfies the following two conditions:

(i) For every pair of different vertices \(u,v \in N\) there is no monochromatic directed path between them.

(ii) For every vertex \(x \in V(D) – N\), there is a vertex \(y \in N\) such that there is an \(xy\)-monochromatic directed path.

In this paper, it is proved that if \(D\) is an \(m\)-coloured \(k\)-partite tournament such that every directed cycle of length \(3\) and every directed cycle of length \(4\) is monochromatic, then \(D\) has a kernel by monochromatic paths.

Some previous results are generalized.

Marilyn Breen1
1The University of Oklahoma Department of Mathematics Norman, Oklahoma 73019 ULS.A.
Abstract:

Let \(\mathcal{S}\) be a finite family of sets in \(\mathbb{R}^d\), each a finite union of polyhedral sets at the origin and each having the origin as an extreme point. Fix \(d\) and \(k\), \(0 \leq k \leq d \leq 3\). If every \(d+1\) (not necessarily distinct) members of \(\mathcal{S}\) intersect in a star-shaped set whose kernel is at least \(k\)-dimensional, then \(\cap\{S_i:S_i\in\mathcal{S}\}\) also is a star-shaped set whose kernel is at least \(k\)-dimensional. For \(k\neq 0\), the number \(d+1\) is best possible.

Adel T.Diab1
1Faculty of Science, Department of Mathematics, Ain Shams University Abbassia, Cairo, Egypt.
Abstract:

A graph is said to be cordial if it has a \(0-1\) labeling that satisfies certain properties. The second power of paths \(P_n^2\),is the graph obtained from the path \(P_n\) by adding edges that join all vertices \(u\) and \(v\) with \(d(u,v) = 2\). In this paper, we show that certain combinations of second power of paths, paths, cycles, and stars are cordial. Specifically, we investigate the cordiality of the join and the union of pairs of second power of paths and graphs consisting of one second power of path and one path and one cycle.

Kevin K.Ferland1
1Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA 17815
Abstract:

We initiate a study of the toughness of infinite graphs by considering a natural generalization of that for finite graphs. After providing general calculation tools, computations are completed for several examples. Avenues for future study are presented, including existence problems for tough-sets and calculations of maximum possible toughness. Several open problems are posed.