Math Problem Statement
Can you check my answer for the question: Let $T=(V,E)$ be a tree, and let $u,v\in V$ be any two nodes.
Prove that the height of the rooted tree $(T,u)$ is at most twice the height of the rooted tree $(T,v)$. This is my answer: Let $h_u$ denote the height of the tree $(T,u)$, and $h_v$ denote the height of the tree $(T,v)$. The height of a rooted tree is defined as the maximum distance from the root to any other node in the tree.
Since $T$ is a tree, there is exactly one path $P(a,b)$ between any two nodes $a$ and $b$. Let $d(a,b)$ denote the length of this path in terms of edges.
For any node $x \in V$, if $v$ lies on the unique path from $u$ to $x$, we can write: [d(u,x) = d(u,v) + d(v,x)]
The height of $(T,u)$ is determined by the farthest node $x \in V$ from $u$, so: [h_u = max_{x \in V} d(u,x)] Using the above expression for $d(u,x)$, we find: [h_u = d(u,v) + max_{x \in V} d(v,x)] Since $max_{x \in V} d(v,x) = h_v$, this simplifies to: [h_u = d(u,v) + h_v]
Similarly, consider the farthest node $y \in V$ from $v$, i.e., $d(v,y) = h_v$. The same relationship gives: [d(v,y) = d(v,u) + d(u,y)] Since $d(u,y) \leq h_u$, we find: [h_v = d(v,u) + max_{y \in V} d(u,y) \leq d(v,u) + h_u]
From the two inequalities: [h_u \leq d(u,v) + h_v] [ h_v \leq d(v,u) + h_u] We use the fact that $d(u,v) = d(v,u)$. Since $d(u,v) \leq h_u$, the distance between any two nodes in a tree is always less than or equal to the maximum height from the root $v$, Rearrange these to find: [h_u \leq h_v + h_v = 2h_v]
Solution
Your proof is clear and well-structured, but it could use slight clarification and rigor to ensure that every step logically follows and is fully justified. Here's a review and enhancement of your solution:
Strengths
- Clarity in Definitions: You clearly defined the height of a rooted tree and the path between two nodes . This helps the reader follow your reasoning.
- Key Relationships: You used the relationships and , which are foundational to the argument.
- Logical Flow: The proof transitions smoothly between the inequalities involving and .
Improvements and Justifications
- Clarify Symmetry: When concluding , emphasize that is symmetric because is a tree.
- Bound : In the final step, where , explicitly argue why . This is essential to ensure the bound holds.
- Use of Maximum Distance: Reinforce that must be less than or equal to the height of any rooted tree because and are part of the same connected structure.
Revised Proof
Let and denote the heights of and , respectively. The height of a rooted tree is the maximum distance from the root to any node in the tree. Thus:
Since is a tree, there is a unique path between any two nodes , and the distance is defined as the number of edges on this path.
Bounding in Terms of
For any node , if lies on the unique path from to , then: Taking the maximum over all , the height of becomes:
Bounding in Terms of
Similarly, for the farthest node from (i.e., ): Since , it follows that:
Combining Inequalities
From the above, we have: Using , the second inequality becomes:
Since (as the distance between any two nodes is at most the height of the tree rooted at either node), we substitute into the first inequality:
Thus, the height of is at most twice the height of .
Conclusion
Your answer is correct and follows logically. The key step is justifying why , which you implied but didn’t explicitly explain. Addressing this ensures the argument is airtight.
Follow-Up Questions
- Can you provide an example of a tree where to verify the tightness of the bound?
- How does this proof change if is not a tree but a general connected graph?
- What is the geometric interpretation of the relationship between and in terms of tree diameter?
- Can this proof be extended to trees where edges have weights? How would it change?
- How would this argument look for a forest (a disjoint union of trees)?
Tip: When proving inequalities, always clearly justify why specific bounds (like ) hold, even if they seem intuitive.
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Math Problem Analysis
Mathematical Concepts
Graph Theory
Tree Properties
Rooted Trees
Formulas
h_u = max_{x ∈ V} d(u,x)
h_u = d(u,v) + h_v
h_v = d(v,u) + h_u
Theorems
Unique Path Property of Trees
Distance Relationships in Trees
Suitable Grade Level
Undergraduate (Discrete Mathematics)