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.

G. Gutin1
1Department of Maths and Stats Brunel University Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, U.K.
Abstract:

Given a digraph (an undirected graph, resp.) \(D\) and two positive integers \(f(x), g(x)\) for every \(x \in V(D)\), a subgraph \(H\) of \(D\) is called a \((g, f)\)-factor if \(g(x) \leq d^+_H(x) = d^-_H(x) \leq f(x)\) (\(g(x) \leq d_H(x) \leq f(x)\), resp.) for every \(x \in V(D)\). If \(f(x) = g(x) = 1\) for every \(x\), then a connected \((g, f)\)-factor is a hamiltonian cycle. The previous research related to the topic has been carried out either for \((g, f)\)-factors (in general, disconnected) or for hamiltonian cycles separately, even though numerous similarities between them have been recently detected. Here we consider connected \((g, f)\)-factors in digraphs and show that several results on hamiltonian digraphs, which are generalizations of tournaments, can be extended to connected \((g, f)\)-factors. Applications of these results to supereulerian digraphs are also obtained.

Jeremy Dover1
1Department of Mathematics Moravian College, Bethlehem, PA 18018
Bhalchandra D.Thatte1
1Combinatorics and Optimization University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, CANADA
Abstract:

Let \(G\) be a group of permutations acting on an \(7\)-vertex set \(V\), and \(X\) and \(Y\) be two simple graphs on \(V\). We say that \(X\) and \(Y\) are \(G\)-isomorphic if \(Y\) belongs to the orbit of \(X\) under the action of \(G\). One can naturally generalize the reconstruction problems so that when \(G\) is \(S_v\), the symmetric group, we have the usual reconstruction problems. In this paper, we study \(G\)-edge reconstructibility of graphs. We prove some old and new results on edge reconstruction and reconstruction from end vertex deleted subgraphs.

M.A. Seoud1, A.E.I.Abd el Maqsoud1, J. Sheehan2
1Faculty of Science Ain Shams University Abbassia Cairo Egypt
2Department of Mathematical Sciences University of Aberdeen Aberdeen Scotland
Abstract:

Frucht and Salinas [1] conjectured that \(C(k) \cup P(n)\) (\(n \geq 3\)) is graceful if and only if \(k + n \geq 7\). We prove that \(C(2k) \cup P(n)\) is graceful for \(n > k + 1\) (\(k \geq 3\)).

For smaller cases we prove that \(C(2k) \cup P(n)\) is graceful for \(k = 3, 4, 5, 6; n \geq 2\).

Robert B.Gardner1, Coleen Huff2, Janie Kennedy3
1Institute of Mathematical and Physical Sciences East Tennessee State University Johnson City, Tennessee 37614 — 0663
2Department of Mathematics East Tennessee State University in Kingsport Kingsport, Tennessee 37660
3Department of Mathematics and Computer Science Samford University Birmingham, AL 35229
Abstract:

We present necessary and sufficient conditions for the decomposition of the complete symmetric bipartite digraph into each of the orientations of a \(4\)-cycle (in the cases for which such decompositions are not already known). We use these results to find optimal packings of the complete symmetric digraph with each of the orientations of a \(4\)-cycle. Finally, we give necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a decomposition of the complete symmetric digraph on \(v\) vertices with a hole of size \(w\) into each of the orientations of a \(4\)-cycle.

Sheng-Chyang Liaw1, David Kuo1, Gerard J.Chang1
1Department of Applied Mathematics National Chiao Tung University Hsinchu 30050, Taiwan
Abstract:

The sum graph of a set \(S\) of positive integers is the graph \(G^+(S)\) having \(S\) as its vertex set, with two distinct vertices adjacent whenever their sum is in \(S\). If \(S\) is allowed to be a subset of all integers, the graph so obtained is called an integral sum graph. The integral sum number of a given graph \(G\) is the smallest number of isolated vertices which when added to \(G\) result in an integral sum graph. In this paper, we find the integral sum numbers of caterpillars, cycles, wheels, and complete bipartite graphs.

David Bedford1, Roger M.Whitaker1
1Department of Mathematics Keele University Keele, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, U.K.
Abstract:

Let \(k\) Max MOLS\((n)\) denote a maximal set of \(k\) mutually orthogonal Latin squares of order \(n\), and let the parameter triple \((G,n,k)\) denote the existence of a \(k\) Max MOLS\((n)\) constructed from orthogonal orthomorphisms of a group \(G\) of order \(x\). We identify all such parameter triples for all \(G\) of order \(\leq 15\), and report the existence of \(3\) Max MOLS\((n)\) for \(n = 15, 16\) and \(4\) Max MOLS\((n)\) for \(n = 12, 16, 24, 28\). Our work shows that for \(n \leq 15\), all known parameter pairs \((n, k)\) for which there exists a \(k\) Max MOLS\((n)\) can be attained by constructing maximal sets of MOLS from orthomorphisms of groups, except for \(1\) Max MOLS\((n)\), \(n = 5, 7, 9, 13\) and \(2\) Max MOLS\((10)\).

Jend Lehel1, Inessa Levi1
1Department of Mathematics University of Louisville Louisville, KY 40292
Abstract:

An alternating circular list of distinct \(r\)-element subsets of some finite set \(X\) and distinct \(r\)-partitions of type \(\tau\) is said to be a \(\tau\)-loop if successive members of the list are orthogonal. We address the problem of finding complete \(\tau\)-loops including all \(r\)-element subsets of \(X\), for any fixed \(|X|\) and type \(\tau\).

L.H. Clark1, J.W. Moon2
1Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Carbondale, IL 62901-4408 U.S.A.
2University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G1 Canada
Abstract:

The general Randić index \(w_\alpha(G)\) of a graph \(G\) is the sum of the weights \(( d_G(u) d_G(v))^\alpha\) of all edges \(uv\) of \(G\). We give bounds for \(w_{-1}(T)\) when \(T\) is a tree of order \(n\). We also show that \(lim_{n\to\infty} f(n)/n\) exists, and give bounds for the limit, where \(f(n) = \max\{w_{-1}(T): T\) is a tree of order \(n\)}. Finally, we find the expected value and variance of \(w_\alpha(T)\) for certain families of trees.

Tilla Schade1
1Mathematisches Institut der Justus-Liebig-Universitat Giessen Arndtstr. 2, 35392 Giessen, Germany
Abstract:

The Hermitean forms graphs Her\((n,s)\) are a series of linear distance-regular graphs. The graph Her\((2,3)\) has the coset graph of the shortened ternary Golay code as an antipodal distance-regular cover. We give a new construction for this linear \(3\)-cover of \(Her\((2,3)\) and show that it is unique.