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.

Zhilong Shan1, Bolian Liu2
1Department of Computer Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510631, P. R. China.
2Department of Mathematics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510631, P. R. China.
Abstract:

A hypergraph is a generalization of an ordinary graph, in which an edge is not limited to contain exactly two vertices, instead, it can contain an arbitrary number of vertices. A number of desirable properties of database schemes have been shown to be equivalent to hypergraphs. In addition, hypergraph models are very important for cellular mobile communication systems. By applying Pólya’s Enumeration Theorem (PET) twice, the counting series is derived for unlabeled linear acyclic hypergraphs in this paper.

E.S. Mahmoodian1, Behnaz Omoomi2, Nasrin Soltankhah3
1Department of Mathematical Sciences Sharif University of Technology P.O. Box 11365-9415, Tehran, Iran
2Department of Mathematical Sciences Isfahan University of Technology 84154, Isfahan, Iran
3Department of Mathematics, Azzahra University Vanak Square 19834, Tehran, Iran
Abstract:

In a given graph \(G\), a set \(S\) of vertices with an assignment of colors is a defining set of the vertex coloring of \(G\), if there exists a unique extension of the colors of \(S\) to a \(\chi(G)\)-coloring of the vertices of \(G\). A defining set with minimum cardinality is called a smallest defining set (of vertex coloring) and its cardinality, the defining number, is denoted by \(d(G, \chi)\). Let \(d(n,r, \chi = k)\) be the smallest defining number of all \(r\)-regular \(k\)-chromatic graphs with \(n\) vertices. Mahmoodian and Mendelsohn (1999) proved that for each \(n\geq m\) and each \(r \geq 4\), \(d(n,r, \chi = 3) = 2\). They raised the following question: Is it true that for every \(k\), there exist \(n_0(k)\) and \(r_0(k)\), such that for all \(n \geq n_0(k)\) and \(r \geq r_0(k)\) we have \(d(n,r, \chi = k) = k-1\)? We show that the answer to this question is positive, and we prove that for a given \(k\) and for all \(n \geq 3k\), if \(r \geq 2(k – 1)\) then \(d(n,r, \chi = k) = k-1\).

N. Durante 1, Domenico Olanda1
1Dipartimento di Matemat- ica e Applicazioni, Universita di Napoli “Federico II”, Complesso di Monte S. Angelo – Edificio T, via Cintia, 80126 Napoli, Italy.
Abstract:

In this paper subsets of a three-dimensional locally projective planar space which meet every plane either in \(2\) or in \(h, h > 2\), points are studied and classified.

M.M. Andar1, Samina Boxwala1, N.B. Limaye2
1Department of Mathematics N. N. Wadia College, Pune Pune, 411001.
2DepartmentofMathematics University of Mumbai Vidyanagari, Mumbai 4000938
Abstract:

Let \(G_1, G_2\) be simple graphs with \(n_1, n_2\) vertices and \(m_1, m_2\) edges respectively. The Corona graph \(G_1 \circ G_2\) of \(G_1\) with \(G_2\) is obtained by taking one copy of \(G_1\), \(v_1\) copies of \(G_2\) and then joining each vertex of \(G_1\) to all the vertices of a copy of \(G_2\).

For a graph \(G\), by the index of cordiality \(i(G)\) we mean \(\min{|e_f(0)-e_f(1)|}\), where the minimum is taken over all the binary labelings of \(G\) with \(|v_f(0)-v_f(1)|\leq 1\). In this paper, we investigate the cordiality of \(G_1 \circ \overline{K_t}, K_n \circ \overline{K_t}\) and \(G \circ C_t\), where \(G\) is a graph with the index of cordiality \(k\).

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

In this paper, we give a necessary condition for an odd degree graph to be Skolem-graceful and we prove that if \(G\) is a \((p, q)\) pseudograceful graph such that \(p=q+tl\), then \(G\cup S_m\) is Skolem-graceful for all \(m\geq 1\). Finally, we give some variations on the definition of cordial graphs.

Pierre Ille1, Jean-Xavier Rampon2
1Institut de Mathématiques de Luminy CNRS-UPR 9016, 163 avenue de Luminy – Case 907, 13288 Marseille Cedex 09, France;ille@iml.univ-mrs.fr
2FST-Université de Nantes, 2 rue de la Houssinitre, BP 92208, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3, France
Abstract:

The posets of dimension \(2\) are those posets whose minimal realizations have two elements, that is, which may be obtained as the intersection of two of their linear extensions. Gallai’s decomposition of a poset allows for a simple formula to count the number of the distinct minimal realizations of the posets of dimension \(2\). As an easy consequence, the characterization of M. El-Zahar and of N.W. Sauer of the posets of dimension \(2\), with an unique minimal realization, is obtained.

Jordan Bell1
1SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS, CARLETON UNIVERSITY, 1125 COLONEL By Drive, OTTawa, ONTARIO, K1S 5B6, CANADA.
Abstract:

In this paper we give a new method for constructing modular \(n\)-queens solutions which, in particular, yields nonlinear solutions for all composite \(n\) such that \(\gcd(n,6) = 1\) and all prime \(n \geq 19\).

Robert Manger1
1Department of Mathematics, University of Zagreb Buyeniéka cesta 30, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract:

Path problems in graphs can generally be formulated and solved by using an algebraic structure whose instances are called path algebras. Each type of path problem is characterized by a different instance of the structure. This paper proposes a method for combining already known path algebras into new ones. The obtained composite algebras can be applied to solve relatively complex path problems, such as explicit identification of optimal paths or multi-criteria optimization. The paper presents proofs showing that the proposed construction is correct. Also, prospective applications of composite algebras are illustrated by examples. Finally, the paper explores possibilities of making the construction more general.

Vedran Krcadinac1
1DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS, UNIVERSITY OF ZAGREB, P.P. 335, HR-10002 Za- GREB, CROATIA
Abstract:

Automorphisms of Steiner \(2\)-designs \(S(2,4,37)\) are studied and used to find many new examples. Some of the constructed designs have \(S(2,3,9)\) subdesigns, closing the last gap in the embedding spectrum of \(S(2,3,9)\) designs into \(S(2,4,v)\) designs.

Devin Henson 1, Dinesh G.Sarvate1
1Dept. of Mathematics, College of Charleston Charleston, SC 29424
Abstract:

We give a construction for a new family of Group Divisible Designs \((6s + 2, 3, 4; 2, 1)\) using Mutually Orthogonal Latin Squares for all positive integers \(s\). Consequently, we have proved that the necessary conditions are sufficient for the existence of GDD’s of block size four with three groups, \(\lambda_1 = 2\) and \(\lambda_2 = 1\).