Variety of general position problems in graphs

Abstract

Let $X$ be a vertex subset of a graph $G$. Then $u, v\in V(G)$ are $X$-positionable if $V(P)\cap X \subseteq \{u,v\}$ holds for any shortest $u,v$-path $P$. If each two vertices from $X$ are $X$-positionable, then $X$ is a general position set. The general position number of $G$ is the cardinality of a largest general position set of $G$ and has been already well investigated. In this paper a variety of general position problems is introduced based on which natural pairs of vertices are required to be $X$-positionable. This yields the total (resp.\ dual, outer) general position number. It is proved that the total general position sets coincide with sets of simplicial vertices, and that the outer general position sets coincide with sets of mutually maximally distant vertices. It is shown that a general position set is a dual general position set if and only if its complement is convex. Several sufficient conditions are presented that guarantee that a given graph has no dual general position set. The total general position number, the outer general position number, and the dual general position number of arbitrary Cartesian products are determined.