In this work, we first prove that every prime number \(p \equiv 1 \pmod{4}\) can be written in the form \(p = P^2 – 4Q\)with two positive integers \(P\) and \(Q\). Then, we define the sequence \(B_n(P, Q)\) to be \(B_0 = 2\), \(B_1 = P\), and \(B_n = PB_{n-1} – QB_{n-2}\) for \(n \geq 2\), and derive some algebraic identities on it. Also, we formulate the limit of the cross-ratio for four consecutive numbers \(B_n\), \(B_{n+1}\), \(B_{n+2}\), and \(B_{n+3}\).

An edge set \(F\)is called a restricted edge-cut if \(G – F\) is disconnected and contains no isolated vertices. The minimum cardinality over all restricted edge-cuts is called the restricted edge-connectivity of \(G\), and denoted by \(\lambda'(G)\). A graph \(G\) is called \(\lambda’\)-optimal if \(\lambda'(G) = \xi(G)\), where \(\xi(G) = \min\{d_G(u) + d_G(v) – 2: uv \in E(G)\}\). In this note, we obtain a sufficient condition for a \(k( \geq 3)\)-regular connected graph with two orbits to be \(\lambda’\)-optimal.

Let \(G = (V, E)\) be a connected graph. An edge set \(S \subset E\) is a \(k\)-restricted edge cut if \(G – S\) is disconnected and every component of \(G – S\) has at least \(k\) vertices. The \(k\)-restricted edge connectivity \(\lambda_k(G)\) of \(G\) is the cardinality of a minimum \(k\)-restricted edge cut of \(G\). A graph \(G\) is \(\lambda_k\)-connected if \(k\)-restricted edge cuts exist. A graph \(G\) is called \(\lambda_k\)-optimal if \(\lambda_k(G) = \xi_k(G)\), where \[\xi_k(G) = \min\{|[X, Y]|: X \subseteq V, |X| = k \text{ and } G[X] \text{ is connected}\};\] Here, \(G[X]\) is the subgraph of \(G$\) induced by the vertex subset \(X \subseteq V\), and \(Y = V \setminus X\) is the complement of \(X\); \([X, Y]\) is the set of edges with one end in \(X\) and the other in \(Y\). \(G\) is said to be super-\(\lambda_k\) if each minimum \(k\)-restricted edge cut isolates a connected subgraph of order \(k\). In this paper, we give some sufficient conditions for triangle-free graphs to be super-\(\lambda_3\).

The \(k\)-path-connectivity \(\pi_k(G)\) of a graph \(G\) was introduced by Hager in \(1986\). Recently, Mao investigated the \(3\)-path-connectivity of lexicographic product graphs. Denote by \(G \circ H\) the lexicographic product of two graphs \(G\) and \(H\). In this paper, we prove that \(\pi_4(G \circ H) \geq \lfloor\frac{|V(H)|-2}{3}\rfloor\) for any two connected graphs \(G\) and \(H\). Moreover, the bound is sharp. We also derive an upper bound of \(\pi_4(G \circ H)\), that is, \(\pi_4(G \circ H) \leq 2\pi_4(G)|V(H)|\).

This paper devotes to the investigation of \(3\)-designs admitting the special projective linear group \(\mathrm{PSL}(2, 2^n)\) as an automorphism, and we determine all the possible values of \(n\) in the simple \(3-(2^n + 1, 7, \lambda)\) designs admitting \(\mathrm{PSL}(2,2^n)\) as an automorphism group.

In this note, we characterize graphs with a given small matching number. Specifically, we characterize graphs with minimum degree at least \(2\) and matching number at most \(3\). The characterization when the matching number is at most \(2\) strengthens the result of Lai and Yan’s that characterized the non-supereulerian \(2\)-edge connected graphs with matching at most \(2\). Furthermore, the characterization of graphs with matching number at most \(3\) addresses a conjecture of Lai and Yan in [SuperEulerian graphs and matchings, Applied Mathematics Letters 24 (2011) 1867-1869].

Let \(D(G)\) be the distance matrix of a connected graph \(G\). The distance spectral radius of \(G\) is the largest eigenvalue of \(D(G)\) and has been proposed as a molecular structure descriptor. In this paper, we study the distance spectral radius of graphs with a given independence number. Special attention is paid to graphs with a given independence number and maximal distance spectral radius.

Key distribution is paramount for Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). The design of key management schemes is the most important aspect and basic research field in WSNs. A key distribution scheme based on symplectic geometry over fields is proposed, where a 2-dimensional subspace in symplectic geometry represents a node, and all \(2s\)-dimensional non-isotropic subspaces represent the key pool, guaranteeing that every pair of nodes has a shared key, thus improving network connectivity. The performance analysis shows that the scheme has good connectivity and higher resilience to node compromise compared to other key pre-distribution schemes.

For a given graph \(H\), a graphic sequence \(\pi = (d_1, d_2, \ldots, d_n)\) is said to be potentially \(H\)-graphic if there exists a realization of \(\pi\) containing \(H\) as a subgraph. Let \(K_{ r+1} – C_k\) be the graph obtained from \(K_{ r+1}\) by removing the \(k\) edges of a \(k\)-cycle. In this paper, we first characterize potentially \(A_{ r+1} – C_k\)-graphic sequences (\(3 \leq k \leq r+1\)), analogous to Yin et al.’s characterization [19], using a system of inequalities. Then, we obtain a sufficient and necessary condition for a graphic sequence \(\pi\) to have a realization containing \(K_{r+1} – C_k\) as an induced subgraph.

A graph \(G\) with \(1 \leq n \leq |V(G)| – 2\) is said to be \(n\)-factor-critical if any \(n\) vertices of \(G\) are deleted, then the resultant graph has a perfect matching. An odd graph \(G\) with \(2k \leq |V(G)| – 3\) is said to be near \(k\)-extendable if \(G\) has a \(k\)-matching and any \(k\)-matching of \(G\) can be extended to a near perfect matching of \(G\). Lou and Yu [Australas. J. Combin. 29 (2004) 127-133] showed that any \(5\)-connected planar odd graph is \(3\)-factor-critical. In this paper, as an improvement of Lou and Yu’s result, we prove that any \(4\)-connected planar odd graph is \(3\)-factor-critical and also near \(2\)-extendable. Furthermore, we prove that all \(5\)-connected planar odd graphs are near \(3\)-extendable.