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Graph Theory » Topological G.T. » Coloring

Degenerate colorings of planar graphs ★★★

Author(s): Borodin

A graph $ G $ is $ k $-degenerate if every subgraph of $ G $ has a vertex of degree $ \le k $.

Conjecture   Every simple planar graph has a 5-coloring so that for $ 1 \le k \le 4 $, the union of any $ k $ color classes induces a $ (k-1) $-degenerate graph.

Keywords: coloring; degenerate; planar

Posted by mdevos
updated May 21st, 2008
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Graph Theory » Coloring » Vertex coloring

Partial List Coloring ★★★

Author(s): Iradmusa

Let $ G $ be a simple graph, and for every list assignment $ \mathcal{L} $ let $ \lambda_{\mathcal{L}} $ be the maximum number of vertices of $ G $ which are colorable with respect to $ \mathcal{L} $. Define $ \lambda_t = \min{ \lambda_{\mathcal{L}} } $, where the minimum is taken over all list assignments $ \mathcal{L} $ with $ |\mathcal{L}| = t $ for all $ v \in V(G) $.

Conjecture   [2] Let $ G $ be a graph with list chromatic number $ \chi_\ell $ and $ 1\leq r\leq s\leq \chi_\ell $. Then \[\frac{\lambda_r}{r}\geq\frac{\lambda_s}{s}.\]

Keywords: list assignment; list coloring

Posted by Iradmusa
updated May 12th, 2008
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Geometry » Polytopes

Cube-Simplex conjecture ★★★

Author(s): Kalai

Conjecture   For every positive integer $ k $, there exists an integer $ d $ so that every polytope of dimension $ \ge d $ has a $ k $-dimensional face which is either a simplex or is combinatorially isomorphic to a $ k $-dimensional cube.

Keywords: cube; facet; polytope; simplex

Posted by mdevos
updated May 9th, 2008
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Topology

S(S(f)) = S(f) for reloids ★★

Author(s): Porton

Question   $ S(S(f)) = S(f) $ for every endo-reloid $ f $?

Keywords: reloid

Posted by porton
updated May 8th, 2008
1 comment
Graph Theory » Coloring » Vertex coloring

Partial List Coloring ★★★

Author(s): Albertson; Grossman; Haas

Conjecture   Let $ G $ be a simple graph with $ n $ vertices and list chromatic number $ \chi_\ell(G) $. Suppose that $ 0\leq t\leq \chi_\ell $ and each vertex of $ G $ is assigned a list of $ t $ colors. Then at least $ \frac{tn}{\chi_\ell(G)} $ vertices of $ G $ can be colored from these lists.

Keywords: list assignment; list coloring

Posted by Iradmusa
updated May 5th, 2008
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Combinatorics » Designs

Combinatorial covering designs ★

Author(s): Gordon; Mills; Rödl; Schönheim

A $ (v, k, t) $ covering design, or covering, is a family of $ k $-subsets, called blocks, chosen from a $ v $-set, such that each $ t $-subset is contained in at least one of the blocks. The number of blocks is the covering’s size, and the minimum size of such a covering is denoted by $ C(v, k, t) $.

Problem   Find a closed form, recurrence, or better bounds for $ C(v,k,t) $. Find a procedure for constructing minimal coverings.

Keywords: recreational mathematics

Posted by Pseudonym
updated April 11th, 2008
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Group Theory

Burnside problem ★★★★

Author(s): Burnside

Conjecture   If a group has $ r $ generators and exponent $ n $, is it necessarily finite?

Keywords:

Posted by dlh12
updated April 11th, 2008
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Graph Theory » Algebraic G.T.

Laplacian Degrees of a Graph ★★

Author(s): Guo

Conjecture   If $ G $ is a connected graph on $ n $ vertices, then $ c_k(G) \ge d_k(G) $ for $ k = 1, 2, \dots, n-1 $.

Keywords: degree sequence; Laplacian matrix

Posted by Robert Samal
updated February 29th, 2008
2 comments
Graph Theory » Basic G.T. » Matchings

Random stable roommates ★★

Author(s): Mertens

Conjecture   The probability that a random instance of the stable roommates problem on $ n \in 2{\mathbb N} $ people admits a solution is $ \Theta( n ^{-1/4} ) $.

Keywords: stable marriage; stable roommates

Posted by mdevos
updated February 26th, 2008
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Number Theory

Chowla's cosine problem ★★★

Author(s): Chowla

Problem   Let $ A \subseteq {\mathbb N} $ be a set of $ n $ positive integers and set \[m(A) = - \min_x \sum_{a \in A} \cos(ax).\] What is $ m(n) = \min_A m(A) $?

Keywords: circle; cosine polynomial

Posted by mdevos
updated February 22nd, 2008
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Graph Theory » Infinite Graphs

End-Devouring Rays ★

Author(s): Georgakopoulos

Problem   Let $ G $ be a graph, $ \omega $ a countable end of $ G $, and $ K $ an infinite set of pairwise disjoint $ \omega $-rays in $ G $. Prove that there is a set $ K' $ of pairwise disjoint $ \omega $-rays that devours $ \omega $ such that the set of starting vertices of rays in $ K' $ equals the set of starting vertices of rays in $ K $.

Keywords: end; ray

Posted by Agelos
updated February 3rd, 2008
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Graph Theory » Basic G.T. » Minors

Seagull problem ★★★

Author(s): Seymour

Conjecture   Every $ n $ vertex graph with no independent set of size $ 3 $ has a complete graph on $ \ge \frac{n}{2} $ vertices as a minor.

Keywords: coloring; complete graph; minor

Posted by mdevos
updated January 6th, 2008
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Analysis

$C^r$ Stability Conjecture ★★★★

Author(s): Palis; Smale

Conjecture   Any $ C^r $ structurally stable diffeomorphism is hyperbolic.

Keywords: diffeomorphisms,; dynamical systems

Posted by m n
updated December 20th, 2007
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Geometry

Convex 'Fair' Partitions Of Convex Polygons ★★

Author(s): Nandakumar; Ramana

Basic Question: Given any positive integer n, can any convex polygon be partitioned into n convex pieces so that all pieces have the same area and same perimeter?

Definitions: Define a Fair Partition of a polygon as a partition of it into a finite number of pieces so that every piece has both the same area and the same perimeter. Further, if all the resulting pieces are convex, call it a Convex Fair Partition.

Questions: 1. (Rephrasing the above 'basic' question) Given any positive integer n, can any convex polygon be convex fair partitioned into n pieces?

2. If the answer to the above is "Not always'', how does one decide the possibility of such a partition for a given convex polygon and a given n? And if fair convex partition is allowed by a specific convex polygon for a give n, how does one find the optimal convex fair partition that minimizes the total length of the cut segments?

3. Finally, what could one say about higher dimensional analogs of this question?

Conjecture: The authors tend to believe that the answer to the above 'basic' question is "yes". In other words they guess: Every convex polygon allows a convex fair partition into n pieces for any n

Keywords: Convex Polygons; Partitioning

Posted by Nandakumar
updated December 12th, 2007
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Group Theory

Growth of finitely presented groups ★★★

Author(s): Adyan

Problem   Does there exist a finitely presented group of intermediate growth?

Keywords: finitely presented; growth

Posted by mdevos
updated November 12th, 2007
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Combinatorics » Optimization

Ding's tau_r vs. tau conjecture ★★★

Author(s): Ding

Conjecture   Let $ r \ge 2 $ be an integer and let $ H $ be a minor minimal clutter with $ \frac{1}{r}\tau_r(H) < \tau(H) $. Then either $ H $ has a $ J_k $ minor for some $ k \ge 2 $ or $ H $ has Lehman's property.

Keywords: clutter; covering; MFMC property; packing

Posted by mdevos
updated November 11th, 2007
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Combinatorics » Matroid Theory

Equality in a matroidal circumference bound ★★

Author(s): Oxley; Royle

Question   Is the binary affine cube $ AG(3,2) $ the only 3-connected matroid for which equality holds in the bound $$E(M) \leq c(M) c(M^*) / 2$$ where $ c(M) $ is the circumference (i.e. largest circuit size) of $ M $?

Keywords: circumference

Posted by Gordon Royle
updated November 2nd, 2007
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Graph Theory » Infinite Graphs

Highly arc transitive two ended digraphs ★★

Author(s): Cameron; Praeger; Wormald

Conjecture   If $ G $ is a highly arc transitive digraph with two ends, then every tile of $ G $ is a disjoint union of complete bipartite graphs.

Keywords: arc transitive; digraph; infinite graph

Posted by mdevos
updated October 29th, 2007
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Graph Theory » Infinite Graphs

Strong matchings and covers ★★★

Author(s): Aharoni

Let $ H $ be a hypergraph. A strongly maximal matching is a matching $ F \subseteq E(H) $ so that $ |F' \setminus F| \le |F \setminus F'| $ for every matching $ F' $. A strongly minimal cover is a (vertex) cover $ X \subseteq V(H) $ so that $ |X' \setminus X| \ge |X \setminus X'| $ for every cover $ X' $.

Conjecture   If $ H $ is a (possibly infinite) hypergraph in which all edges have size $ \le k $ for some integer $ k $, then $ H $ has a strongly maximal matching and a strongly minimal cover.

Keywords: cover; infinite graph; matching

Posted by mdevos
updated October 23rd, 2007
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Graph Theory » Infinite Graphs

Unfriendly partitions ★★★

Author(s): Cowan; Emerson

If $ G $ is a graph, we say that a partition of $ V(G) $ is unfriendly if every vertex has at least as many neighbors in the other classes as in its own.

Problem   Does every countably infinite graph have an unfriendly partition into two sets?

Keywords: coloring; infinite graph; partition

Posted by mdevos
updated October 22nd, 2007
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