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.

Xue-gang Chen1, Wai Chee Shiu2
1Department of Mathematics, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
2Department of Mathematics, Hong Kong Baptist University, 294 Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
Abstract:

Let \(G\) be a connected graph. A weakly connected dominating set of \(G\) is a dominating set \(D\) such that the edges not incident to any vertex in \(D\) do not separate the graph \(G\). In this paper, we first consider the relationship between weakly connected domination number \(\gamma_w(G)\) and the irredundance number \(ir(G)\). We prove that \(\gamma_w(G) \leq \frac{5}{2}ir(G) – 2\) and this bound is sharp. Furthermore, for a tree \(T\), we give a sufficient and necessary condition for \(\gamma_c(T) = \gamma_w(T) + k\), where \(\gamma_c(T)\) is the connected domination number and \(0 \leq k \leq \gamma_w(T) – 1\).

Meirun Chen1, Xiaofeng Guo2
1Department of Mathematics and Physics, Xiamen University of Technology, Xiamen Fujian 361024, China
2School of Mathematical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen Fujian 361005, China
Abstract:

For two vertices \(u\) and \(v\) in a strong digraph \(D\), the strong distance \(sd(u,v)\) between \(u\) and \(v\) is the minimum size (the number of arcs) of a strong sub-digraph of \(D\) containing \(u\) and \(v\). The strong eccentricity \(se(v)\) of a vertex \(v\) of \(D\) is the strong distance between \(v\) and a vertex farthest from \(v\). The strong radius \(srad(D)\) (resp. strong diameter \(sdiam(D)\)) of \(D\) is the minimum (resp. maximum) strong eccentricity among all vertices of \(D\). The lower (resp. upper) orientable strong radius \(srad(G)\) (resp. \(SRAD(G)\)) of a graph \(G\) is the minimum (resp. maximum) strong radius over all strong orientations of \(G\). The lower (resp. upper) orientable strong diameter \(sdiam(G)\) (resp. \(SDIAM(G)\)) of a graph \(G\) is the minimum (resp. maximum) strong diameter over all strong orientations of \(G\). In this paper, we determine the lower orientable strong radius and strong diameter of the Cartesian product of complete graphs, and give the upper orientable strong diameter and the bounds on the upper orientable strong radius of the Cartesian product of complete graphs.

Maged Z.Youssef1, E.A. Elsakhawai1
1Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Abbassia 11566, Cairo, Egypt.
Abstract:

In this paper, we show that the disjoint union of two cordial graphs, one of them is of even size, is cordial and the join of two cordial graphs, both are of even size or one of them is of even size and one of them is of even order, is cordial. We also show that \(C_m \cup C_n \) is cordial if and only if \(m+n \not\equiv 2 \pmod{4}\) and \(mC_n\) is cordial if and only if \(mn \not\equiv 2 \pmod{4}\) and for \(m, n \geq 3\), \(C_m + C_n\) is cordial if and only if \((m, n) \neq (3, 3)\) and \(\{m, n\} \not\equiv \{0, 2\} \pmod{4}\).

Finally, we discuss the cordiality of \(P_n^k\).

Ibrahim Gunaltili1
1Eskigehir Osmangazi University, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Mathematics, Eskigehir-TURKEY
Abstract:

We show that a finite linear space with \(b = n^2 + n + 1\) lines, \(n \geq 2\), constant point-degree \(n+1\) and containing a sufficient number of lines of size \(n\) can be embedded in a projective plane of order \(n\). Using this fact, we also give characterizations of some pseudo-complements, which are the complements of certain subsets of finite projective planes.

AP Burger1, MP Kidd1, JH van Vuuren1
1Department of Logistics, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa,
Abstract:

The numbers of distinct self-orthogonal Latin squares (SOLS) and idempotent SOLS have been enumerated for orders up to and including $9$. The isomorphism classes of idempotent SOLS have also been enumerated for these orders. However, the enumeration of the isomorphism classes of non-idempotent SOLS is still an open problem. By utilising the automorphism groups of class representatives from the already enumerated isomorphism classes of idempotent SOLS, we enumerate the isomorphism classes of non-idempotent SOLS implicitly (i.e. without generating them). New symmetry classes of SOLS are also introduced, based on the number of allowable transformations that may be applied to a SOLS without destroying the property of self-orthogonality, and these classes are also enumerated.

Liming Xiong1,2, Mingchu Li3
1Department of Mathematics, Beijing Institute of Technology Beijing 100081, P.R. China
2Department of Mathematics, Jiangxi Normal University Nanchang 330027, P.R. China
3School of Software, Dalian University of Technology Dalian 116024, P.R. China
Abstract:

The supereulerian index of a graph \(G\) is the smallest integer \(k\) such that the \(k\)-th iterated line graph of \(G\) is supereulerian. We first show that adding an edge between two vertices with degree sums at least three in a graph cannot increase its supereulerian index. We use this result to prove that the supereulerian index of a graph \(G\) will not be changed after either of contracting an \(A_G(F)\)-contractible subgraph \(F\) of a graph \(G\) and performing the closure operation on \(G\) (if \(G\) is claw-free). Our results extend Catlin’s remarkable theorem \([4]\) relating that the supereulericity of a graph is stable under the contraction of a collapsible subgraph.

M.M. Shikare1, B.N. Waphare1
1Department of Mathematics, University of Pune, Pune 411 007 (India)
Abstract:

This paper is based on the splitting operation for binary matroids that was introduced by Raghunathan, Shikare and Waphare [ Discrete Math. \(184 (1998)\), p.\(267-271\)] as a natural generalization of the corresponding operation in graphs. Here, we consider the problem of determining precisely which graphs \(G\) have the property that the splitting operation, by every pair of edges, on the cycle matroid \(M(G)\) yields a graphic matroid. This problem is solved by proving that there are exactly four minor-minimal graphs that do not have this property.

Yangjiang Wei1,2, Jizhu Nan3, Gaohua Tang2, Huadong Su2
1 School of Mathematical Sciences, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
2School of Mathematical Sciences, Guangxi Teachers Education University, Nanning, 530023, China
3School of Mathematical Sciences, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
Abstract:

In this paper, we study the connection of number theory with graph theory via investigating some uncharted properties of the directed graph \(\Gamma'(n)\) whose vertex set is \(\mathbb{Z}_n = \{0,1,\ldots,n-1\}\), and for which there is a directed edge from \(a \in \mathbb{Z}_n\) to \(b \in \mathbb{Z}_n\) if and only if \(a^3 \equiv b \pmod{n}\). For an arbitrary prime \(p\), the formula for the decomposition of the graph \(\Gamma(p)\) is established. We specify two subgraphs \(\Gamma_1(n)\) and \(\Gamma_2(n)\) of \(\Gamma(n)\). Let \(\Gamma_1(n)\) be induced by the vertices which are coprime to \(n\) and \(\Gamma_2(n)\) by induced by the set of vertices which are not coprime to \(n\). We determine the level of every component of \(\Gamma_1(n)\), and establish necessary and sufficient conditions when \(\Gamma_1(n)\) or \(\Gamma_2(n)\) has no cycles with length greater than \(1\), respectively. Moreover, the conditions for the semiregularity of \(\Gamma_2(n)\) are presented.

Jennie Danielsson1
1Jennie Danielsson, David Bagares Gata 6, 111 38 Stockholm, Sweden
Abstract:

We made a computer search for minimal blocking sets in the projective geometry \(\text{PG}(2,11)\), and found \(30,000\), of which only two nontrivial blocking sets had the possibility of being isomorphic.

Heping Zhang1, Shan Zhou1
1School of Mathematics and Statistics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, People’s Republic of China
Abstract:

A graph \(G\) is called \({claw-free}\) if \(G\) has no induced subgraph isomorphic to \(K_{1,3}\). Ando et al. obtained the result: a claw-free graph \(G\) with minimum degree at least \(d\) has a path-factor such that the order of each path is at least \(d+1\); in particular \(G\) has a \(\{P_3, P_4, P_5\}\)-factor whenever \(d \geq 2\). Kawarabayashi et al. proved that every \(2\)-connected cubic graph has a \(\{P_3, P_4\}\)-factor. In this article, we show that if \(G\) is a connected claw-free graph with at least \(6\) vertices and minimum degree at least \(2\), then \(G\) has a \(\{P_3, P_4\}\)-factor. As an immediate consequence, it follows that every claw-free cubic graph (not necessarily connected) has a \(\{P_3, P_4\}\)-factor.