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.

Urszula Bednarz1, Dorota Bréd1, Iwona Wioch1, Malgorzata Wolowiec-Musial1
1Rzeszéw University of Technology Faculty of Mathematics and Applied Physics al. Powstaricow Warszawy 12, 35-959 Rzeszdw, Poland
Abstract:

In this paper we define new generalizations of Fibonacci numbers and Lucas numbers in the distance sense. These generalizations are closely related to the concept of \((2,k )\)-distance Fibonacci numbers presented in \([10]\). We show some applications of these numbers in number decompositions and we also define a new type of Lucas numbers.

Xiaoxiao Duan1,2, Kefeng Diao1, Fuliang Lu1, Xiao Zhu1,2
1School of Science, Linyi University, Linyi, Shandong, 276005, China
2School of Mathematical Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong, 250014, China
Abstract:

For a vector \({R} = (r_1, r_2, \ldots, r_m)\) of non-negative integers, a mixed hypergraph \(\mathcal{H}\) is a realization of \({R}\) if its chromatic spectrum is \({R}\). In this paper, we determine the minimum number of vertices of realizations of a special kind of vectors \({R}_2\). As a result, we partially solve an open problem proposed by Král in \(2004\).

Keaitsuda Nakprasit1, Kittikorn Nakprasit1
1Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
Abstract:

A strong edge-coloring is a proper edge-coloring such that two edges with the same color are not allowed to lie on a path of length three. The strong chromatic index of a graph \(G\), denoted by \(s'(G)\), is the minimum number of colors in a strong edge-coloring. We denote the degree of a vertex \(v\) by \(d(v)\). Let the \({Ore-degree}\) of a graph \(G\) be the maximum value of \(d(u) + d(v)\), where \(u\) and \(v\) are adjacent vertices in \(G\). Let \(F_3\) denote the graph obtained from a \(5\)-cycle by adding a new vertex and joining it to a pair of nonadjacent vertices of the \(5\)-cycle. In \(2008\), Wu and Lin [J. Wu and W. Lin, The strong chromatic index
of a class of graphs, Discrete Math., \(308 (2008), 6254-6261]\) studied the strong chromatic index with respect to the Ore-degree. Their main result states that if a connected graph \(G\) is not \(F_3\) and its Ore-degree is \(5\), then \(s'(G) \leq 6\). Inspired by the result of Wu and Lin, we investigate the strong edge-coloring of graphs with Ore-degree 6. We show that each graph \(G\) with Ore-degree \(6\) has \(s'(G) \leq 10\). With the further condition that \(G\) is bipartite, we have \(s'(G) \leq 9\). Our results give general forms of previous results about strong chromatic indices of graphs with maximum degree \(3\).

Jen-Ling Shang1
1 Department of Banking and Finance, Kainan University Tao-Yuan, Taiwan 33857, R.O.C.
Abstract:

For a graph \(G\), an edge labeling of \(G\) is a bijection \(f: E(G) \to \{1, 2, \ldots, |E(G)|\}\). The \emph{induced vertex sum} \(f^*\) of \(f\) is a function defined on \(V(G)\) given by \(f^+(u) = \sum_{uv \in E(G)} f(uv)\) for all \(u \in V(G)\). A graph \(G\) is called \emph{antimagic} if there exists an edge labeling of \(G\) such that the induced vertex sum of the edge labeling is injective. Hartsfield and Ringel conjectured in 1990 that all connected graphs except \(K_2\) are antimagic. A spider is a connected graph with exactly one vertex of degree exceeding \(2\). This paper shows that all spiders are antimagic.

Y.M. Borse1, M.M. Shikare1, Naiyer Pirouz1
1Department of Mathematics, University of Pune, Pune 411007 (India)
Abstract:

In this paper, we consider the problem of determining precisely which graphic matroids \(M\) have the property that the splitting operation,by every pair of elements, on \(M\) yields a cographic matroid. This problem is solved by proving that there are exactly three minorminimal graphs that do not have this property.

Dae San Kim1, Taekyun Kim2
1DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS, SOGANG UNIVERSITY, SEOUL 121-742, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
2DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS, KWANGWOON UNIVERSITY, SEOUL 139-701, RepuB- LIC OF KOREA
Abstract:

In this paper, we give a new and interesting identities of Boole and Euler polynomials which are derived from the symmetry properties of the \(p\)-adic fermionic integrals on \(\mathbb{Z}_p\).

Rita SahaRay1, Ilene H.Morgan2
1Applied Statistics Division, Indian Statistical Institute, 203 B. T. Road, Kolkata-700 108, India.
2Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO 65409, USA
Abstract:

In this paper we address the problem of construction of critical sets
in \(F\)-squares of the form \(F(2n; 2, 2,……… ,2)\). We point out that the
critical set in \(F(2n; 2,2, ……… ,2)\) obtained by Fitina, Seberry and
Sarvate \((1999)\) is not correct and prove that in the given context a
proper subset is a critical set.

Qiong Fan1,2, Shuchao Li2
1School of Automation, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, P.R. China
2Faculty of Mathematics and Statistics, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P.R. China
Abstract:

A connected graph \(G = (V(G), E(G))\) is called a quasi-tree graph if there exists a vertex \(u_0 \in V(G)\) such that \(G – u_0\) is a tree. Let \(\mathcal{P}(2k) := \{G: G \text{ is a quasi-tree graph on } 2k \text{ vertices with perfect matching}\}\), and \(\mathcal{P}(2k, d_0) := \{G: G \in \mathcal{P}(2k), \text{ and there is a vertex } u_0 \in V(G) \text{ such that } G – u_0 \text{ is a tree with } d_G(u_0) = d_0\}\). In this paper, the maximal indices of all graphs in the sets \(\mathcal{P}(2k)\) and \(\mathcal{P}(2k, d_0)\) are determined, respectively. The corresponding extremal graphs are also characterized.

Luis Gonzdlez1, Angelo Santana1
1Department of Mathematics, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Campus de Tafira, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Abstract:

A combinatorial sum for the Stirling numbers of the second kind is generalized. This generalization provides a new explicit formula for the binomial sum \(\sum_{k=0}^{n}k^ra^kb^{n-k} \binom{n}{k}\), where \(a, b \in \mathbb{R} – \{0\}\) and \(n, r \in \mathbb{N}\). As relevant special cases, simple explicit expressions for both the binomial sum \(\sum_{k=0}^{n} k^r\binom{n}{k} \) and the raw moment of order \(r\) of the binomial distribution \(B(n, p)\) are given. All these sums are expressed in terms of generalized \(r\)-permutations.

Yahui Hu1, Yaoping Hou1, Zhangdong Ouyang1
1Department of Mathematics, Hunan First Normal University, Changsha 410205, P.R.China
Abstract:

Let \(G\) be a simple connected graph with vertex set \(V(G)\). The Gutman index \(\text{Gut}(G)\) of \(G\) is defined as \(\text{Gut}(G) = \sum\limits_{\{x,y\} \subseteq V(G)} d_G(x) d_G(y) d_G(x,y)\), where \(d_G(x)\) is the degree of vertex \(v\) in \(G\) and \(d_G(x,y)\) is the distance between vertices \(x\) and \(y\) in \(G\). In this paper, the second-minimum Gutman index of unicyclic graphs on \(n\) vertices and girth \(m\) is characterized.