2
$\begingroup$

I tried drawing all the possible non-isomorphic 4-regular graphs with 8 vertices and I noticed that all of them have a cycle of length 8. I tried proving it but I didn't know how to start. How would you prove that a specific graph must have a cycle of length x?

  • 0
    So have you followed any of those links? Anything to say about the question?2017-01-14
  • 0
    Earth to Bhargavi, come in, please.2017-01-16
  • 0
    Hey Gerry! Thanks for the reply! The question was a simple observation I made while solving an assignment question. I'm new to graph theory and I guess I'm not equipped with the theorems needed to understand it. But the links definitely helped!2017-01-19
  • 0
    Good. You have the option of "accepting" then answer by clicking in the check mark next to it.2017-01-19

1 Answers 1

1

Dirac's Theorem from 1952 says that if $n\ge3$ then a simple graph with $n$ vertices is Hamiltonian if every vertex has degree $n/2$ or greater. See also Ore's Theorem from 1960.

  • 0
    See also http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/59159/understanding-the-proof-of-diracs-theorem-regarding-graph-connectivity and http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/624766/clarifying-diracs-theorem and http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/1602222/diracs-theorem-not-work and http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/1701605/prove-diracs-theorem-by-induction-on-the-number-of-vertices and http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/690491/pigeonhole-principle-to-prove-a-hamiltonian-graph/690522 and probably quite a few others.2017-01-13