On Directed Feedback Vertex Set parameterized by treewidth

We study the Directed Feedback Vertex Set problem parameterized by the treewidth of the input graph. We prove that unless the Exponential Time Hypothesis fails, the problem cannot be solved in time $2^{o(t\log t)}\cdot n^{\mathcal{O}(1)}$ on general directed graphs, where $t$ is the treewidth of the underlying undirected graph. This is matched by a dynamic programming algorithm with running time $2^{\mathcal{O}(t\log t)}\cdot n^{\mathcal{O}(1)}$. On the other hand, we show that if the input digraph is planar, then the running time can be improved to $2^{\mathcal{O}(t)}\cdot n^{\mathcal{O}(1)}$.Comment: 20

On the chromatic number of multiple interval graphs and overlap graphs

AbstractLet χ(G) and ω(G) denote the chromatic number and clique number of a graph G. We prove that χ can be bounded by a function of ω for two well-known relatives of interval graphs. Multiple interval graphs (the intersection graphs of sets which can be written as the union of t closed intervals of a line) satisfy χ⩽2t(ω−1) for ω⩾2. Overlap graphs satisfy χ⩽2ωω2(ω−1)

Adding Isolated Vertices Makes some Online Algorithms Optimal

An unexpected difference between online and offline algorithms is observed. The natural greedy algorithms are shown to be worst case online optimal for Online Independent Set and Online Vertex Cover on graphs with 'enough' isolated vertices, Freckle Graphs. For Online Dominating Set, the greedy algorithm is shown to be worst case online optimal on graphs with at least one isolated vertex. These algorithms are not online optimal in general. The online optimality results for these greedy algorithms imply optimality according to various worst case performance measures, such as the competitive ratio. It is also shown that, despite this worst case optimality, there are Freckle graphs where the greedy independent set algorithm is objectively less good than another algorithm. It is shown that it is NP-hard to determine any of the following for a given graph: the online independence number, the online vertex cover number, and the online domination number.Comment: A footnote in the .tex file didn't show up in the last version. This was fixe

Partitioning the power set of [n][n] into CkC_k-free parts

We show that for $n \geq 3, n\ne 5$, in any partition of $\mathcal{P}(n)$, the set of all subsets of $[n]=\{1,2,\dots,n\}$, into $2^{n-2}-1$ parts, some part must contain a triangle --- three different subsets $A,B,C\subseteq [n]$ such that $A\cap B$, $A\cap C$, and $B\cap C$ have distinct representatives. This is sharp, since by placing two complementary pairs of sets into each partition class, we have a partition into $2^{n-2}$ triangle-free parts. We also address a more general Ramsey-type problem: for a given graph $G$, find (estimate) $f(n,G)$, the smallest number of colors needed for a coloring of $\mathcal{P}(n)$, such that no color class contains a Berge-$G$ subhypergraph. We give an upper bound for $f(n,G)$ for any connected graph $G$ which is asymptotically sharp (for fixed $k$) when $G=C_k, P_k, S_k$, a cycle, path, or star with $k$ edges. Additional bounds are given for $G=C_4$ and $G=S_3$.Comment: 12 page

Covering t-element Sets by Partitions

Partitions of a set V form a t-cover if each t-element subset is covered by some block of some partitions. The rank of a t-cover is the size of the largest block appearing. What is the minimum rank of a t-cover of an n-element set, consisting of r partitions? The main result says that it is at least n/q, where q is the smallest integer satisfying r ⩽ qt−1 + qt−2 + ⋯ + q + 1

Induced subtrees in graphs of large chromatic number

AbstractOur paper proves special cases of the following conjecture: for any fixed tree T there exists a natural number f = f (T) to that every triangle-free graph of chromaticnumber f(T) contains T as an induced subgraph. The main result concerns the case when T has radius two

Clique-cutsets beyond chordal graphs

Truemper configurations (thetas, pyramids, prisms, and wheels) have played an important role in the study of complex hereditary graph classes (eg, the class of perfect graphs and the class of even‐hole‐free graphs), appearing both as excluded configurations, and as configurations around which graphs can be decomposed. In this paper, we study the structure of graphs that contain (as induced subgraphs) no Truemper configurations other than (possibly) universal wheels and twin wheels. We also study several subclasses of this class. We use our structural results to analyze the complexity of the recognition, maximum weight clique, maximum weight stable set, and optimal vertex coloring problems for these classes. Furthermore, we obtain polynomial x-bounding functions for these classes

Approximately coloring graphs without long induced paths

It is an open problem whether the 3-coloring problem can be solved in polynomial time in the class of graphs that do not contain an induced path on $t$ vertices, for fixed $t$. We propose an algorithm that, given a 3-colorable graph without an induced path on $t$ vertices, computes a coloring with $\max\{5,2\lceil{\frac{t-1}{2}}\rceil-2\}$ many colors. If the input graph is triangle-free, we only need $\max\{4,\lceil{\frac{t-1}{2}}\rceil+1\}$ many colors. The running time of our algorithm is $O((3^{t-2}+t^2)m+n)$ if the input graph has $n$ vertices and $m$ edges

Coloring translates and homothets of a convex body

We obtain improved upper bounds and new lower bounds on the chromatic number as a linear function of the clique number, for the intersection graphs (and their complements) of finite families of translates and homothets of a convex body in \RR^n.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figure