Growth: A Journal of Mathematics and Mathematics Education
ISSN: xxxx-xxxx
Growth: A Journal of Mathematics and Mathematics Education aims to provide a publication platform for high quality undergraduate research in mathematics and in mathematical pedagogy. The technical scope of the journal is combinatorial mathematics, broadly interpreted—the editorial board will consider all submissions in their areas of interest. All submitted articles must have an undergraduate research component and must be certified by a senior researcher. All submissions will be peer reviewed according to standard practices in academic mathematics. Precise editorial policies are set by the editorial board.
- Research article
- Full Text
- Ars Combinatoria
- Volume 096
- Pages: 87-96
- Published: 31/07/2010
Let \(G = (X, Y, E(G))\) be a bipartite graph with vertex set \(V(G) = X ! Y\) and edge set \(E(G)\), and let \(g, f\) be two nonnegative integer-valued functions defined on \(V(G)\) such that \(g(x) \leq f(x)\) for each \(x \in V(G)\). A \((g, f)\)-factor of \(G\) is a spanning subgraph \(F\) of \(G\) such that \(g(x) \leq d_F(x) \leq f(x)\) for each \(x \in V(F)\); a \((g, f)\)-factorization of \(G\) is a partition of \(E(G)\) into edge-disjoint \((g, f)\)-factors. Let \(\mathcal{F} = \{F_1, F_2, \ldots, F_m\}\) be a factorization of \(G\) and \(H\) be a subgraph of \(G\) with \(m\) edges. If \(F_i\), \(1 \leq i \leq m\), has exactly \(r\) edges in common with \(H\), we say that \(F_i\) is \(r\)-orthogonal to \(H\). In this paper, it is proved that every bipartite \((0, mf-(m-1)r)\)-graph has \((0, f)\)-factorizations randomly \(r\)-orthogonal to any given subgraph with \(m\) edges if \(2r \leq f(x)\) for any \(x \in V(G)\).
- Research article
- Full Text
- Ars Combinatoria
- Volume 096
- Pages: 75-86
- Published: 31/07/2010
We define an \(r\)-capacitated dominating set of a graph \(G = (V,E)\) as a set \(\{v_1, \ldots, v_k\} \subseteq V\) such that there is a partition \((V_1, \ldots, V_k)\) of \(V\) where for all \(i\), \( v_i \in V_i\), \(v_i\) is adjacent to all of \(V_i – \{v_i\}\), and \(|V_i| \leq r + 1\). \(\daleth_r(G)\) is the minimum cardinality of an \(r\)-capacitated dominating set. We show properties of \(\daleth_r\), especially as regards the trivial lower bound \(|V|/(r + 1)\). We calculate the value of the parameter in several graph families, and show that it is related to codes and polyominoes. The parameter is \(NP\)-complete in general to compute, but a greedy approach provides a linear-time algorithm for trees.
- Research article
- Full Text
- Ars Combinatoria
- Volume 096
- Pages: 65-73
- Published: 31/07/2010
On the basis of joint trees introduced by Yanpei Liu, by choosing different spanning trees and classifying the associated surfaces, we obtain the explicit expressions of genus polynomials for three types of graphs, namely \(K_5^n, W_6^n\) and \(K_{3,3}^n\), which are different from the graphs whose embedding distributions by genus have been obtained. And \(K_5^n\) and \(K_{3,3}^n\) are non-planar.
- Research article
- Full Text
- Ars Combinatoria
- Volume 096
- Pages: 41-63
- Published: 31/07/2010
We develop the necessary machinery in order to prove that hexagonal tilings are uniquely determined by their Tutte polynomial, showing as an example how to apply this technique to the toroidal hexagonal tiling.
- Research article
- Full Text
- Ars Combinatoria
- Volume 096
- Pages: 33-40
- Published: 31/07/2010
A \((d,1)\)-totel labelling of a graph \(G\) is an assignment of integers to \(V(G) \cap E(G)\) such that: (i) any two adjacent vertices of \(G\) receive distinct integers, (ii) any two adjacent edges of \(G\) receive distinct integers, and (iii) a vertex and its incident edge receive integers that differ by at least \(d\) in absolute value. The span of a \((d,1)\)-total labelling is the maximum difference between two labels. The minimum span of labels required for such a \((d, 1)\)-total labelling of \(G\) is called the \((d, 1)\)-total number and is denoted by \(\lambda_d^T(G)\). In this paper, we prove that \(\lambda_d^T(G)\geq d+r+1 \) for \(r\)-regular nonbipartite graphs with \(d \geq r \geq 3\) and determine the \((d, 1)\)-total numbers of flower snarks and of quasi flower snarks.
- Research article
- Full Text
- Ars Combinatoria
- Volume 096
- Pages: 9-31
- Published: 31/07/2010
Let \(G = (V,E)\) be a simple graph with the vertex set \(V\) and the edge set \(E\). \(G\) is a sum graph if there exists a labelling \(f\) of the vertices of \(G\) into distinct positive integers such that \(uv \in E\) if and only if \( f(w)=f(u) + f(v) \) for some vertex \(w \in V\). Such a labelling \(f\) is called a sum labelling of \(G\). The sum number \(\sigma(G)\) of \(G\) is the smallest number of isolated vertices which result in a sum graph when added to \(G\). Similarly, the integral sum graph and the integral sum number \(\zeta(G)\) are also defined. The difference is that the labels may be any distinct integers.
In this paper, we will determine that
\[\begin{cases}
0 = \zeta(\overline{P_4}) < \sigma(\overline{P_4}) = 1;\\
1 = \zeta(\overline{P_5}) < \sigma(\overline{P_5}) = 2;\\
3 = \zeta(\overline{P_6}) < \sigma(\overline{P_6}) = 4;\\
\zeta(\overline{P_n}) = \sigma(\overline{P_n}) = 0, \text{ for } n = 1, 2, 3;\\
\zeta(\overline{P_n}) = \sigma(\overline{P_n}) = 2n – 7, \text{ for } n \geq 7;
\end{cases}\]
and
\[\begin{cases}
0 = \zeta(\overline{F_5}) < \sigma(\overline{F_5}) = 1;\\
2 = \zeta(\overline{F_5}) < \sigma(\overline{F_6}) = 2;\\
\zeta(\overline{F_c}) = \sigma(\overline{F_n}) = 0, \text{ for } n =3,4;\\
\zeta(\overline{F_n}) = \sigma(\overline{F_n}) = 2n – 8, \text{ for } n \geq 7.
\end{cases}\]
- Research article
- Full Text
- Ars Combinatoria
- Volume 096
- Pages: 3-7
- Published: 31/07/2010
The Padmakar-Ivan (PI) index is a Wiener-Szeged-like topological index which reflects certain structural features of organic molecules. In this paper, we study the PI indices of bicyclic graphs whose cycles do not share two or more common vertices.
- Research article
- Full Text
- Journal of Combinatorial Mathematics and Combinatorial Computing
- Volume 073
- Pages: 245-255
- Published: 31/05/2010
For a graph \( G = (V, E) \), a non-empty set \( S \subseteq V \) is a global offensive alliance (respectively, global strong offensive alliance) if for every vertex \( v \in V – S \), at least half of the vertices in its closed neighborhood are in \( S \) (respectively, a strict majority of its closed neighborhood are in \( S \)). The global offensive alliance number \( \gamma_o(G) \) (respectively, global strong offensive alliance number \( \gamma_{\hat{o}}(G) \)) is the minimum cardinality of a global offensive alliance (respectively, global strong offensive alliance) of \( G \). In this paper, we determine an upper bound on each parameter for bipartite graphs without isolated vertices. More precisely, we show that \( \gamma_o(G) \leq \frac{n – \ell + s}{2} \) and \( \gamma_{\hat{o}}(G) \leq \frac{n + \ell}{2} \), where \( n \), \( \ell \), and \( s \) are the order, the number of leaves, and the support vertices of \( G \), respectively. Moreover, extremal trees attaining each bound are characterized.
- Research article
- Full Text
- Journal of Combinatorial Mathematics and Combinatorial Computing
- Volume 073
- Pages: 237-243
- Published: 31/05/2010
There is a hypothesis that a non-self-centric radially-maximal graph of radius \( r \) has at least \( 3r – 1 \) vertices. Moreover, if it has exactly \( 3r – 1 \) vertices, then it is planar with minimum degree \( 1 \) and maximum degree \( 3 \). Using an enhanced exhaustive computer search, we prove this hypothesis for \( r = 4, 5 \).
- Research article
- Full Text
- Journal of Combinatorial Mathematics and Combinatorial Computing
- Volume 073
- Pages: 223-236
- Published: 31/05/2010
A vertex set \( X \) of a simple graph is called OO-irredundant if for each \( v \in X \), \( N(v) – N(X – \{v\}) \neq \emptyset \). Basic results for maximal OO-irredundant sets of a graph are obtained.




