Search arXivSearch

arXiv · 2501.19357

Well-failed graphs

Abstract

In this paper we begin the study of well-failed graphs, that is, graphs in which every maximal failed zero forcing set is a maximum failed zero forcing set, or equivalently, in which every minimal fort is a minimum fort. We characterize trees that are well-failed. Along the way, we prove that the set of vertices in a graph that are not in any minimal fort is identical to the set of vertices that are in no minimal zero forcing set, which allows us to characterize vertices in a tree that are in no minimal fort.

Explore related subjects

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Bonnie Jacob. 2025-01-31. Well-failed graphs. https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.19357

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

On Perfect Divisibility of Bull-Free Graphs Without Long Paths

A graph $G$ is {\em perfectly divisible} if, for every induced subgraph $H$ of $G$, $V(H)$ can be partitioned into $A$ and $B$ such that $H[A]$ is perfect and $ω(H[B])<ω(H)$. Chudnovsky and Sivaraman [J. Graph Theory \textbf{90} (2019) 54-60] proved that every ($P_5$, bull)-free graph is perfectly divisible, while Chen and Xu [Discrete Appl. Math. \textbf{372} (2025) 298-307] proved the same for ($P_7,C_5$, bull)-free graphs. We extend these results by proving that every ($P_8,C_5$, bull)-free graph is perfectly divisible and that, letting $F$ denote the Grötzsch graph, a ($P_6$, bull)-free graph is perfectly divisible if and only if it is $F$-free.

math.CO

Covering graphs by isometric trees

A connected subgraph of a graph is isometric if it preserves distances. Recently, graphs admitting a vertex or edge covering by a small number of isometric paths have been studied. In this paper, we consider the analogous problem for isometric trees, focusing on the treewidth of graphs admitting a vertex or edge covering by a small number of such trees. Baste, De Meyer, Giocanti, Objois, and Picavet showed that for coverings by two isometric trees, the treewidth is bounded. We show that already for three isometric trees, the treewidth can be linear in the number of vertices. On the positive side, we show that for graphs of bounded degree coverable by a small number of isometric trees, the treewidth is sublinear in the number of vertices.

math.CO

Tree-independence number of $P_5$-free graphs with no large bicliques

The tree-independence number of a graph is the minimum, over all tree-decompositions of the graph, of the maximum size of an independent set contained in a bag. Graph classes of bounded tree-independence number have strong structural and algorithmic properties; however, the parameter can be unbounded even in quite restricted classes. In particular, the presence of an induced biclique $K_{\ell,\ell}$ forces tree-independence number at least $\ell$. This leads to the question whether large induced bicliques are the only obstruction to bounded tree-independence number in natural hereditary classes. A conjecture of Dallard, Krnc, Kwon, Milanič, Munaro, Štorgel, and Wiederrecht states that for all positive integers $t$ and $\ell$, ${\{P_t,K_{\ell,\ell}\}}$-free graphs have bounded tree-independence number. We prove this conjecture for ${t=5}$ by showing that every ${\{P_5,K_{\ell,\ell}\}}$-free graph has tree-independence number at most ${4\ell-4}$. We also obtain related bounds for the weaker parameter of $α$-degeneracy and answer a question of Hilaire, Milanič, and Vasić whether tree-independence number of ${\{P_5,K_{\ell,\ell}\}}$-free graphs exceeds $\ell$ by at most an additive constant.

math.CO