Math Problem Statement

What is a Hamiltonian circuit? Check whether the following graph contains a Hamiltonian circuit. Justify your answer.

Solution

To analyze this question, let's break it into two parts:

Definition of a Hamiltonian Circuit

A Hamiltonian circuit is a cycle in a graph that visits each vertex exactly once and returns to the starting vertex. It must:

  • Cover all vertices exactly once.
  • Start and end at the same vertex.

Does this graph have a Hamiltonian Circuit?

The graph provided has 6 vertices labeled 1,2,3,4,5,61, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. To check if it has a Hamiltonian circuit:

  1. Check the structure: The graph is connected, meaning every vertex is reachable from any other vertex.
  2. Try to find a Hamiltonian circuit by inspection:
    • Starting at vertex 11, we can follow this path: 12465311 \to 2 \to 4 \to 6 \to 5 \to 3 \to 1
    • This path visits all vertices exactly once and returns to the starting vertex 11. Hence, this is a Hamiltonian circuit.

Conclusion

Yes, the graph contains a Hamiltonian circuit. One example of such a circuit is: 12465311 \to 2 \to 4 \to 6 \to 5 \to 3 \to 1

Would you like more details or clarification? Let me know!


Follow-up questions:

  1. What are the conditions for a graph to have a Hamiltonian circuit?
  2. How does a Hamiltonian circuit differ from an Eulerian circuit?
  3. Can a graph have more than one Hamiltonian circuit? If so, how can you find them all?
  4. Are there algorithms to determine if a Hamiltonian circuit exists? What are they?
  5. How does the degree of vertices in a graph affect the existence of Hamiltonian circuits?

Tip:

To verify if a graph contains a Hamiltonian circuit, try tracing paths manually or use algorithms like the backtracking approach for systematic checks.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Graph Theory
Hamiltonian Circuit

Formulas

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Theorems

Hamiltonian Circuit Definition

Suitable Grade Level

Grades 9-12