<P> Network science is an academic field which studies complex networks such as telecommunication networks , computer networks , biological networks , cognitive and semantic networks , and social networks , considering distinct elements or actors represented by nodes ( or vertices ) and the connections between the elements or actors as links ( or edges ) . The field draws on theories and methods including graph theory from mathematics , statistical mechanics from physics , data mining and information visualization from computer science , inferential modeling from statistics , and social structure from sociology . The United States National Research Council defines network science as `` the study of network representations of physical , biological , and social phenomena leading to predictive models of these phenomena . '' </P>
<P> Network science is an academic field which studies complex networks such as telecommunication networks , computer networks , biological networks , cognitive and semantic networks , and social networks , considering distinct elements or actors represented by nodes ( or vertices ) and the connections between the elements or actors as links ( or edges ) . The field draws on theories and methods including graph theory from mathematics , statistical mechanics from physics , data mining and information visualization from computer science , inferential modeling from statistics , and social structure from sociology . The United States National Research Council defines network science as `` the study of network representations of physical , biological , and social phenomena leading to predictive models of these phenomena . '' </P>
what data structure is used to represent connections in a network
what data structure is used to represent connections in a network
links ( or edges )
links ( or edges )