§ Dual of Planar Euler graph is bipartite
§ Proof by contradiction
- Euler graph is a graph with an euleian circuit, so we pass through every edge exactly once and return to the node we started from.
- Alternatively, every node has even degree. Consider the cycle as starting at some vertex
v
. To pass through all edges adjacent to v
must mean that every time we leave v
on a previously unused v->_
we must return back to v
via a unique edge _->v
. This allows us to pair edges together uniquely, giving us an even number of edges at v
. - This argument works at any generic
v
, since we can think of a cycle as starting from any vertex. - Thus, every vertex of
G
has even degree. - Consider the dual graph
H := G*
. - Suppose
H
is not bipartite, so H
has an odd length cycle O
. - Let
K := H*
be the dual of H
. Consider the face of H
that is bounded by the odd length cycle O
, call it F(O)
. This face F(O)
has an odd number of neighbours, one for each edge of O
. So an number of edges in K
connect F(O)
to its neighbours. Thus, K
has a vertex with an odd number of edges indicent on it. - However,
K = H* = G** = G
. This implies that G
has a vertex with an odd number of neighbours, contradicting its eulerian nature.
§ Constructive proof
- Consider a graph embedding. Since the graph is eulerian, we get a path/closed curve
p: S^1 -> R^2
that traverses the graph along its euler tour. - If the closed curve
p
has self-intersections, remove them by gently "spreading" p
. - This gives us two regions on the sphere, one inside the curve and one outside the curve (by jordan curve theorem).
- Key takeaway: Euler graphs are graphs you can draw with a pen.
§ How this is different from hamiltonian circuit
Consider:
a----------b
| |
f----------c
| |
e----------d
- The cycle
a->b->c->d->e->f->a
is hamiltonian. - There is no eulerian cycle since
f
has odd degree. So if we start from f
, it is impossible to return to f
. - So hamiltonian circuits do not correspond (at least in this way) to geometry.