Utilitas Algorithmica (UA)

ISSN: xxxx-xxxx (print)

Utilitas Algorithmica (UA) is a premier, open-access international journal dedicated to advancing algorithmic research and its applications. Launched to drive innovation in computer science, UA publishes high-impact theoretical and experimental papers addressing real-world computational challenges. The journal underscores the vital role of efficient algorithm design in navigating the growing complexity of modern applications. Spanning domains such as parallel computing, computational geometry, artificial intelligence, and data structures, UA is a leading venue for groundbreaking algorithmic studies.

Garry Johns1, Bianka Wang1, Mohra Zayed2
1Department of Mathematical Sciences, Saginaw Valley State University, MI 49710
2King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
Abstract:

For a given graph \(G\), a variation of its line graph is the 3-xline graph, where two 3-paths \(P\) and \(Q\) are adjacent in \(G\) if \(V(P) \cap V(Q) = \{v\}\) when \(v\) is the interior vertex of both \(P\) and \(Q\). The vertices of the 3-xline graph \(XL_3(G)\) correspond to the 3-paths in \(G\), and two distinct vertices of the 3-xline graph are adjacent if and only if they are adjacent 3-paths in \(G\). In this paper, we study 3-xline graphs for several classes of graphs, and show that for a connected graph \(G\), the 3-xline graph is never isomorphic to \(G\) and is connected only when \(G\) is the star \(K_{1,n}\) for \(n = 2\) or \(n \geq 5\). We also investigate cycles in 3-xline graphs and characterize those graphs \(G\) where \(XL_3(G)\) is Eulerian.

Jobby Jacob1, Connor Mattes2, Marika Witt3
1School of Mathematical Sciences Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, NY 14623
2Mathematical and Statistical Sciences University of Colorado Denver Denver, CO 80217
3Mathematics \& Computer Science Department Whitworth University Spokane, WA 99251
Abstract:

An \(L(h,k)\) labeling of a graph \(G\) is an integer labeling of the vertices where the labels of adjacent vertices differ by at least \(h\), and the labels of vertices that are at distance two from each other differ by at least \(k\). The span of an \(L(h,k)\) labeling \(f\) on a graph \(G\) is the largest label minus the smallest label under \(f\). The \(L(h,k)\) span of a graph \(G\), denoted \(\lambda_{h,k}(G)\), is the minimum span of all \(L(h,k)\) labelings of \(G\).

Dalibor Froncek1, Bethany Kubik1
1University of Minnesota Duluth
Abstract:

In this paper, we use standard graph labeling techniques to prove that each tri-cyclic graph with eight edges decomposes the complete graph \(K_n\) if and only if \(n \equiv 0, 1 \pmod{16}\). We apply \(\rho\)-tripartite labelings and 1-rotational \(\rho\)-tripartite labelings.

Bryan Freyberg1, Nhan Tran1
1Department of Mathematics and Statistics University of Minnesota Duluth 1117 University Drive, Duluth, MN 55812 USA
Abstract:

We introduce a variation of \(\sigma\)-labeling to prove that every disconnected unicyclic bipartite graph with eight edges decomposes the complete graph \(K_n\) whenever the necessary conditions are satisfied. We combine this result with known results in the connected case to prove that every unicyclic bipartite graph with eight edges other than \(C_8\) decomposes \(K_n\) if and only if \(n \equiv 0, 1 \pmod{16}\) and \(n > 16\).

Bryan Freyberg1, Dalibor Froncek1
1Department of Mathematics and Statistics University of Minnesota Duluth 1117 University Drive, Duluth, MN 55812
Abstract:

Let \( G \) be a tripartite unicyclic graph with eight edges that either (i) contains a triangle or heptagon, or (ii) contains a pentagon and is disconnected. We prove that \( G \) decomposes the complete graph \( K_n \) whenever the necessary conditions are satisfied. We combine this result with other known results to prove that every unicyclic graph with eight edges other than \( C_8 \) decomposes \( K_n \) if and only if \( n \equiv 0,1 \pmod{16} \).

Gary Chartrand1, James Hallas1, Ping Zhang1
1Department of Mathematics Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI 49008, USA
Abstract:

For a positive integer \( k \), let \( P^*([k]) \) denote the set of nonempty subsets of \( [k] = \{1, 2, \ldots, k\} \). For a graph \( G \) without isolated vertices, let \( c: E(G) \rightarrow P^*([k]) \) be an edge coloring of \( G \) where adjacent edges may be colored the same. The induced vertex coloring \( c’ : V(G) \rightarrow P^*([k]) \) is defined by \( c'(v) = \bigcap_{e \in E_v} c(e) \), where \( E_v \) is the set of edges incident with \( v \). If \( c’ \) is a proper vertex coloring of \( G \), then \( c \) is called a regal \( k \)-edge coloring of \( G \). The minimum positive integer \( k \) for which a graph \( G \) has a regal \( k \)-edge coloring is the regal index of \( G \). If \( c’ \) is vertex-distinguishing, then \( c \) is a strong regal \( k \)-edge coloring of \( G \). The minimum positive integer \( k \) for which a graph \( G \) has a strong regal \( k \)-edge coloring is the strong regal index of \( G \). The regal index (and, consequently, the strong regal index) is determined for each complete graph and for each complete multipartite graph. Sharp bounds for regal indexes and strong regal indexes of connected graphs are established. Strong regal indexes are also determined for several classes of trees. Other results and problems are also presented.

Ryan C. Bunge1, Megan Cornett2, Saad I. El-Zanati1, Joel Jeffries3, Ellen Rattin1
1Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790-4520, USA
2Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN 47809, USA
3Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-2104, USA
Abstract:

A long-standing conjecture by Kotzig, Ringel, and Rosa states that every tree admits a graceful labeling. That is, for any tree \( T \) with \( n \) edges, it is conjectured that there exists a labeling \( f: V(T) \rightarrow \{0, 1, \ldots, n\} \) such that the set of induced edge labels \( \{ |f(u) – f(v)| : \{u,v\} \in E(T) \} \) is exactly \( \{1, 2, \ldots, n\} \). We extend this concept to allow for multigraphs with edge multiplicity at most 2. A 2-fold graceful labeling of a graph (or multigraph) \( G \) with \( n \) edges is a one-to-one function \( f: V(G) \rightarrow \{0, 1, \ldots, n\} \) such that the multiset of induced edge labels is comprised of two copies of each element in \( \{1, 2, \ldots, \lfloor n/2 \rfloor\} \), and if \( n \) is odd, one copy of \( \{\lfloor n/2 \rfloor\} \). When \( n \) is even, this concept is similar to that of 2-equitable labelings which were introduced by Bloom and have been studied for several classes of graphs. We show that caterpillars, cycles of length \( n \neq 1 \mod 4 \), and complete bipartite graphs admit 2-fold graceful labelings. We also show that under certain conditions, the join of a tree and an empty graph (i.e., a graph with vertices but no edges) is 2-fold graceful.

David E. Brown1, Bryce Frederickson1
1Department of Mathematics and Statistics Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-3900
Abstract:

We develop an ordering function on the class of tournament digraphs (complete antisymmetric digraphs) that is based on the Rényi \(\alpha\)-entropy. This ordering function partitions tournaments on \(n\) vertices into equivalence classes that are approximately sorted from transitive (the arc relation is transitive — the score sequence is \((0, 1, 2, \ldots, n-1)\)) to regular (score sequence like \((\frac{n-1}{2}, \ldots, \frac{n-1}{2})\)). However, the diversity among regular tournaments is significant; for example, there are 1,123 regular tournaments on 11 vertices and 1,495,297 regular tournaments on 13 vertices up to isomorphism, which is captured to an extent.

Jeffery J. Boats1, Lazaros D. Kikas1, John K. Slowik2
1University of Detroit Mercy 4001 W. McNichols Road, Detroit, MI 48221-3038
2Northeastern University
Abstract:

Given a graph \( G \), we are interested in finding disjoint paths for a given set of distinct pairs of vertices. In 2017, we formally defined a new parameter, the pansophy of \( G \), in the context of the disjoint path problem. In this paper, we develop an algorithm for computing the pansophy of graphs and illustrate the algorithm on graphs where the pansophy is already known. We close with future research directions.

H. Bermudez1, R. C. Bunge2, E. D. Cornelius2, S. I. El-Zanati2, W. H. Mamboleo3, N. T. Nguyen2, D. P. Roberts4
1University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez Campus, Mayaguez, PR 00682
2Campus Box 4520, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790
3North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
4Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL 61701
Abstract:

Let \( G \) be one of the two multigraphs obtained from \( K_4-e \) by replacing two edges with a double-edge while maintaining a minimum degree of 2. We find necessary and sufficient conditions on \( n \) and \(\lambda\) for the existence of a \( G \)-decomposition of \( K_n \).

Special Issues

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