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.

Zhen-Bin Gao1, Xiao-Dong Zhang2, Li-Juan Xu1
1College of Science, Harbin Engineering University ,Harbin, 150001, P. R. China
2Department of Mathematices, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200240, P. R. China
Abstract:

In the paper, we discuss properties of the (super) vertex-graceful labeling of cycle \(C_n\), crown graph \(C_n \odot K_1\), and generalized crown graph \(C_n \odot K_{1,t}\), and prove that \(C_n\), \(C_{n} \odot K_1\), and \(C_n \odot K_{1,t}\) are vertex-graceful if \(n\) is odd; \(C_n\) is super vertex-graceful if \(n \neq 4, 6\); and \(C_{n} \odot K_1\) is super vertex-graceful if \(n\) is even. Moreover, we propose two conjectures on (super)vertex-graceful labeling.

H.-R. Fanai1
1Department of Mathematical Sciences Sharif University of Technology P.O. Box 11155-9415 Tehran, Iran.
Abstract:

For any integer \(m \geq 2\), let \(\mu_m\) be the group of \(m\)th roots of unity. Let \(p\) be a prime and \(a\) a positive integer. For \(m = p^\alpha\), it is shown that there is no \(n \times n\) matrix over \(\mu_m\) with vanishing permanent if \(n < p\).

N. Ananchuen1, W. Ruksasakchai2, W. Ananchuen3
1 Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, Silpakorn University, Nakorn Pathom 73000, Thailand Centre of Excellence in Mathematics, CHE, Si Ayutthaya Rd., Bangkok 10400, Thailand
2Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, Silpakorn University, Nakorn Pathom 73000, Thailand
3School of Liberal Arts, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, Pakkred, Nonthaburi 11120, Thailand
Abstract:

A subset \(S \subseteq V(G)\) is an independent dominating set for \(G\) if \(S\) is independent and each vertex of \(G\) is either in \(S\) or adjacent to some vertex of \(S\). Let \(i(G)\) denote the minimum cardinality of an independent dominating set for \(G\). For a positive integer \(t\), a graph \(G\) is \(t\)-i-critical if \(i(G) = t\), but \(i(G + uv) < t\) for any pair of non-adjacent vertices \(u\) and \(v\) of \(G\). Further, for a positive integer \(k\), a graph \(G\) is \(k\)-factor-critical if for every \(S \subseteq V(G)\) with \(|S| = k\), \(G – S\) has a perfect matching. In this paper, we provide sufficient conditions for connected \(3\)-i-critical graphs to be \(k\)-factor-critical in terms of connectivity and minimum degree.

Liqiong Xu1, Xiaohui Xu1
1School of science, Jimei university, Xiamen Fujian 361021,PR China
Abstract:

Let \(G = (V, E)\) be a simple graph, \(I(G)\) its incidence matrix. The incidence energy of \(G\), denoted by \(IE(G)\), is the sum of the singular values of \(I(G)\). The incidence energy \(IE(G)\) of a graph is a recently proposed quantity. However, \(IE(G)\) is closely related with the eigenvalues of the Laplacian and signless Laplacian matrices of \(G\). The trees with the maximal, the second maximal, the third maximal, the smallest, the second smallest, and the third smallest incidence energy were characterized. In this paper, the trees with the fourth and fifth smallest incidence energy are characterized by the quasi-order method and Coulson integral formula, respectively. In addition, the fourth maximal incidence energy among all trees on \(n\) vertices is characterized.

Saieed Akbari1, Sahar Qajar1
1Department of Mathematical Sciences, Sharif University of Technology, School of Mathematics, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences, IPM, P.O. Box 19395-5746 Tehran, Iran.
Abstract:

A Roman dominating function (or simply RDF) on a graph \(G = (V(G), E(G))\) is a labeling \(f: V(G) \to \{0, 1, 2\}\) satisfying the condition that every vertex with label \(0\) has at least 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 bondage number, \(b_R(G)\), of a graph \(G\) with maximum degree at least two is the minimum cardinality among all sets \(E \subseteq E(G)\) for which \(\gamma_R(G – E) > \gamma_R(G)\). It was conjectured that if \(G\) is a graph of order \(n\) with maximum degree at least two, then \(b_R(G) \leq n – 1\). In this paper, we settle this conjecture. More precisely, we prove that for every connected graph of order \(n \geq 3\), \(b_R(G) \leq \min\{n – 1, n – \gamma_R(G) + 5\}\).

S.M. Sheikholeslami1, L. Volkmann2
1 Department of Mathematics Azarbaijan University of Tarbiat Moallem Tabriz, I.R. Iran
2Lehrstuhl II fiir Mathematik RWTH Aachen University 52056 Aachen, Germany
Abstract:

Let \(G\) be a finite and simple graph with vertex set \(V(G)\), and let \(f: V(G) \to \{-1, 1\}\) be a two-valued function. If \(k \geq 1\) is an integer and \(\sum_{x\in N[v]}f(x) \geq k\) for each \(v \in V(G)\), where \(N[v]\) is the closed neighborhood of \(v$, then \(f\) is a signed \(k\)-dominating function on \(G\). A set \(\{f_1, f_2, \ldots, f_d\}\) of distinct signed \(k\)-dominating functions on \(G\) with the property that \(\sum_{i=1}{d}f_i(v) \leq j\) for each \(x \in V(G)\), is called a signed \((j, k)\)-dominating family (of functions) on \(G\), where \(j \geq 1\) is an integer. The maximum number of functions in a signed \((j, k)\)-dominating family on \(G\) is the signed \((j, k)\)-domatic number on \(G\), denoted by \(d_{jkS}(G)\).

Xiaofang Wu1, Yan Zhao 2
1School of Statistics Southwestern University of Finance and Economics Chengdu,Sichuan 611130,China
2Henan Light Industry School Zhengzhou,Henan 450000,China
Abstract:

The aim of this paper is to classify the vertex-primitive symmetric graphs of order \(6p\). These works were essentially done in \([1]\). But in \([1]\) there is no such situation: \(G = \mathrm{PSL}(2, 13)\) acting on the set of cosets of subgroup \(H \cong D_{14}\). Then \(m = |\Omega| = 78 = 6p\), \(G\) has rank \(9\), and the sub-orbits of \(G\) have one of length \(1\), five of length \(7\), and three of length \(14\). In this paper, we give a complete list of symmetric graphs of order \(6p\).

Anuradha Sharma1, Suman Bala2
1 Department of Mathematics indian Institute of Technology Delhi New Delhi-110016, India
2 Department of Mathematics Panjab University Chandigarh-160014, India
Abstract:

Let \(p\) be an odd prime and \(n\) be a positive integer. For any positive integer \(d \leq n\), let \(g_1(x) = 1 + x^{p^{n-d}} + x^{{2p}^{n-d}} + \ldots + x^{(p-1)p^{n-d}}\) and \(g_2(x) = 1 + x^{p^{n-d+1}} + x^{2p^{n-d+1}} + \ldots + x^{{(p^{d-1}-1)}{p^{n-d+1}}}\). In this paper, we provide a method to determine the weight distributions of binary cyclic codes of length \(p^n\) generated by the polynomials \(g_1(x)\) and \(g_01(x)g_2(x)\), which is effective for small values of \(p\) and \(d\).

Shoichi Tsuchiya1
1Department of Information Media and Environment Sciences, Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, 79-7 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan
Abstract:

A spanning tree with no vertices of degree two of a graph is called a homeomorphically irreducible spanning tree (or HIST) of the graph. It has been proved that every planar triangulation \(G\) with at least four vertices has a HIST \(H\) [1]. However, the previous result asserts nothing whether the degree of a fixed vertex \(v\) of \(G\) is at least three or not in \(H\). In this paper, we prove that if a planar triangulation \(G\) has \(2n\) (\(n \geq 2\)) vertices, then, for any vertex \(v\), \(G\) has a HIST \(H\) such that the degree of \(v\) is at least three in \(H\). We call such a spanning tree a rooted HIST of \(G\) with root \(v\).

Maliheh Modallelavian1, Behnaz Omoomi1
1Department of Mathematical Sciences Isfahan University of Technology 84156-83111, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract:

A graph \(G\) is Hamiltonian connected, if there is a Hamiltonian path between every two distinct vertices of \(G\). A Hamiltonian connected graph \(G\) is called critical Hamiltonian connected (CHC), if for every edge \(e\) in \(G\), the graph \(G – e\) is not Hamiltonian connected. In this paper, we study the properties of CHC graphs.