For odd and , let be the graph obtained by deleting an edge, say , from the Petersen graph. Define to be the graph obtained by joining vertex and vertex with an edge (with subscripts reduced modulo ). For each , the set is an edge cut. Hence, in any 2-factor of , either none of the edges of the form are contained in a cycle, or all of them are contained in the same cycle.
Case 1: If none of the edges described above are contained in a cycle of a 2-factor of , then this 2-factor contains a 2-factor of for each . These 2-factors are also 2-factors of the graphs , that is, each is a 2-factor of the Petersen graph. Each 2-factor of the Petersen graph consists of two cycles of 5 vertices, hence, any such 2-factor of contains cycles of odd length.
This conjecture is false.
For odd
and
, let
be the graph obtained by deleting an edge, say
, from the Petersen graph. Define
to be the graph obtained by joining vertex
and vertex
with an edge (with subscripts reduced modulo
). For each
, the set
is an edge cut. Hence, in any 2-factor of
, either none of the edges of the form
are contained in a cycle, or all of them are contained in the same cycle.
Case 1: If none of the edges described above are contained in a cycle of a 2-factor of
, then this 2-factor contains a 2-factor of
for each
. These 2-factors are also 2-factors of the graphs
, that is, each is a 2-factor of the Petersen graph. Each 2-factor of the Petersen graph consists of two cycles of 5 vertices, hence, any such 2-factor of
contains
cycles of odd length.
Case 2: See the comment below.