On some interconnections between combinatorial optimization and extremal graph theory

The uniting feature of combinatorial optimization and extremal graph theory is that in both areas one should find extrema of a function defined in most cases on a finite set. While in combinatorial optimization the point is in developing efficient algorithms and heuristics for solving specified types of problems, the extremal graph theory deals with finding bounds for various graph invariants under some constraints and with constructing extremal graphs. We analyze by examples some interconnections and interactions of the two theories and propose some conclusions

The Minimal Total Irregularity of Graphs

In \cite{2012a}, Abdo and Dimitov defined the total irregularity of a graph $G=(V,E)$ as \hskip3.3cm $\rm irr_{t}$$(G) = \frac{1}{2}\sum_{u,v\in V}|d_{G}(u)-d_{G}(v)|,$ \noindent where $d_{G}(u)$ denotes the vertex degree of a vertex $u\in V$. In this paper, we investigate the minimal total irregularity of the connected graphs, determine the minimal, the second minimal, the third minimal total irregularity of trees, unicyclic graphs, bicyclic graphs on $n$ vertices, and propose an open problem for further research.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figure

Non-regular graphs with minimal total irregularity

The {\it total irregularity} of a simple undirected graph $G$ is defined as ${\rm irr}_t(G) =$ $\frac{1}{2}\sum_{u,v \in V(G)}$ $\left| d_G(u)-d_G(v) \right|$, where $d_G(u)$ denotes the degree of a vertex $u \in V(G)$. Obviously, ${\rm irr}_t(G)=0$ if and only if $G$ is regular. Here, we characterize the non-regular graphs with minimal total irregularity and thereby resolve the recent conjecture by Zhu, You and Yang~\cite{zyy-mtig-2014} about the lower bound on the minimal total irregularity of non-regular connected graphs. We show that the conjectured lower bound of $2n-4$ is attained only if non-regular connected graphs of even order are considered, while the sharp lower bound of $n-1$ is attained by graphs of odd order. We also characterize the non-regular graphs with the second and the third smallest total irregularity

The total irregularity of a graph

In this note a new measure of irregularity of a graph G is introduced. It is named the total irregularity of a graph and is defined as irrt(G) = 1 / 2∑u,v ∈V(G) |dG(u)-dG(v)|, where dG(u) denotes the degree of a vertex u ∈V(G). All graphs with maximal total irregularity are determined. It is also shown that among all trees of the same order the star has the maximal total irregularity

The Total Irregularity of Graphs under Graph Operations

The total irregularity of a graph $G$ is defined as \irr_t(G)=1/2 \sum_{u,v \in V(G)} $|d_G(u)-d_G(v)|$, where $d_G(u)$ denotes the degree of a vertex $u \in V(G)$. In this paper we give (sharp) upper bounds on the total irregularity of graphs under several graph operations including join, lexicographic product, Cartesian product, strong product, direct product, corona product, disjunction and symmetric difference.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures, Journal numbe