Generalized Petersen graph
Introduction The Dürer graph .In graph theory, the '''generalized Petersen graphs''' are a family of cubic graphs formed by connecting the vertices of a regular polygon to the corresponding vertices of a star polygon. They include the Petersen graph and generalize one of the ways of constructing the Petersen graph. The generalized Petersen graph family was introduced in 1950 by H. S. M. Coxeter and was given its name in 1969 by Mark Watkins.
Definition and notation In Watkins' notation, ''G''(''n'', ''k'') is a graph with vertex set:and edge set:where subscripts are to be read modulo ''n'' and ''k'' < ''n''/2.Some authors use the notation ''GPG''(''n'', ''k''). Coxeter's notation for the same graph would be {''n''} + {''n''/''k''}, a combination of the Schläfli symbols for the regular ''n''-gon and star polygon from which the graph is formed. The Petersen graph itself is ''G''(5, 2) or {5} + {5/2}.Any generalized Petersen graph can also be constructed from a voltage graph with two vertices, two self-loops, and one other edge.
Examples Among the generalized Petersen graphs are the ''n''-prism ''G''(''n'', 1), the Dürer graph ''G''(6, 2), the Möbius-Kantor graph ''G''(8, 3), the dodecahedron ''G''(10, 2), the Desargues graph ''G''(10, 3) and the Nauru graph ''G''(12, 5).Four generalized Petersen graphs – the 3-prism, the 5-prism, the Dürer graph, and ''G''(7, 2) – are among the seven graphs that are cubic, 3-vertex-connected, and well-covered (meaning that all of their maximal independent sets have equal size).
Properties One of the three Hamiltonian cycles in ''G''(9, 2). The other two Hamiltonian cycles in the same graph are symmetric under 40° rotations of the drawing.This family of graphs possesses a number of interesting properties. For example:* ''G''(''n'', ''k'') is vertex-transitive (meaning that it has symmetries that take any vertex to any other vertex) if and only if (''n'', ''k'') = (10, 2) or ''k''2 ≡ ±1 (mod ''n''). * ''G''(''n'', ''k'') is edge-transitive (having symmetries that take any edge to any other edge) only in the following seven cases: (''n'', ''k'') = (4, 1), (5, 2), (8, 3), (10, 2), (10, 3), (12, 5), (24, 5). These seven graphs are therefore the only symmetric generalized Petersen graphs. * ''G''(''n'', ''k'') is bipartite if and only if ''n'' is even and ''k'' is odd. * ''G''(''n'', ''k'') is a Cayley graph if and only if ''k''2 ≡ 1 (mod ''n''). * ''G''(''n'', ''k'') is hypohamiltonian when ''n'' is congruent to 5 modulo 6 and ''k'' = 2, ''n'' − 2, or (''n'' ± 1)/2 (these four choices of ''k'' lead to isomorphic graphs). It is also non-Hamiltonian when ''n'' is divisible by 4, at least equal to 8, and ''k'' = ''n''/2.In all other cases it has a Hamiltonian cycle. When ''n'' is congruent to 3 modulo 6 ''G''(''n'', 2) has exactly three Hamiltonian cycles. For ''G''(''n'', 2), the number of Hamiltonian cycles can be computed by a formula that depends on the congruence class of ''n'' modulo 6 and involves the Fibonacci numbers. * Every generalized Petersen graph is a unit distance graph.===Isomorphisms===''G''(''n'', ''k'') is isomorphic to ''G''(''n'', ''l'') if and only if ''k=l'' or ''kl'' ≡ ±1 (mod ''n'').===Girth===The girth of ''G''(''n'', ''k'') is at least 3 and at most 8, in particular::A table with exact girth values: Condition  Girth   3  4   5    6    7      otherwise  8===Chromatic number and chromatic index===Being regular, according to Brooks' theorem their chromatic number can not be larger than their degree. Generalized Petersen graphs are cubic, so their chromatic number can be either 2 or 3.More exactly::Where  denotes the logical AND, while  the logical OR. For example, the chromatic number of  is 3.Petersen_graph_3-coloring.svg|A 3-coloring of the Petersen graph or Desargues graph 2COL.svg|A 2-coloring of the Desargues graph or Dürer graph 3COL.svg|A 3-coloring of the Dürer graph or Petersen graph, being a snark, has a chromatic index of 4.All other generalized Petersen graph has chromatic index 3.The generalized Petersen graph ''G''(9, 2) is one of the few graphs known to have only one 3-edge-coloring.PetersenBarveniHran.svg|A 4-edge-coloring of the Petersen graph or Dürer graph 3color edge.svg|A 3-edge-coloring of the Dürer graph or 3-colored dodecahedron.svg|A 3-edge-coloring of the dodecahedron or Desargues graph 3color edge.svg|A 3-edge-coloring of the Desargues graph or Symmetric group 4; Cayley graph 1,5,21 (Nauru Petersen); matrices.svg|A 3-edge-coloring of the Nauru graph or The Petersen graph itself is the only generalized Petersen graph that is not 3-edge-colorable.===Perfect Colorings===All admissible matrices of all perfect 2-colorings of the graphs ''G''(''n'', ''2'') and ''G''(''n'', ''3'') are enumerated.+ Admissible matrices  G(n, 2)  G(n, 3)   All graphs  All graphs   Just ''G''(''3m'', ''2'')  No graphs   No graphs  Just ''G''(''2m'',''3'')   No graphs  Just ''G''(''4m'',''3'')   Just ''G''(''5m'',''2'')  Just ''G''(''5m'',''3'')   No graphs  Just ''G''(''2m'',''3'')
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