Domination number of graphs with minimum degree five

We prove that for every graph $G$ on $n$ vertices and with minimum degree five, the domination number $\gamma(G)$ cannot exceed $n/3$. The proof combines an algorithmic approach and the discharging method. Using the same technique, we provide a shorter proof for the known upper bound $4n/11$ on the domination number of graphs of minimum degree four.Comment: 17 page

Transversal designs and induced decompositions of graphs

We prove that for every complete multipartite graph $F$ there exist very dense graphs $G_n$ on $n$ vertices, namely with as many as ${n\choose 2}-cn$ edges for all $n$, for some constant $c=c(F)$, such that $G_n$ can be decomposed into edge-disjoint induced subgraphs isomorphic to~$F$. This result identifies and structurally explains a gap between the growth rates $O(n)$ and $\Omega(n^{3/2})$ on the minimum number of non-edges in graphs admitting an induced $F$-decomposition

The Disjoint Domination Game

We introduce and study a Maker-Breaker type game in which the issue is to create or avoid two disjoint dominating sets in graphs without isolated vertices. We prove that the maker has a winning strategy on all connected graphs if the game is started by the breaker. This implies the same in the $(2:1)$ biased game also in the maker-start game. It remains open to characterize the maker-win graphs in the maker-start non-biased game, and to analyze the $(a:b)$ biased game for $(a:b)\neq (2:1)$. For a more restricted variant of the non-biased game we prove that the maker can win on every graph without isolated vertices.Comment: 18 page

K3K_3-WORM colorings of graphs: Lower chromatic number and gaps in the chromatic spectrum

A $K_3$-WORM coloring of a graph $G$ is an assignment of colors to the vertices in such a way that the vertices of each $K_3$-subgraph of $G$ get precisely two colors. We study graphs $G$ which admit at least one such coloring. We disprove a conjecture of Goddard et al. [Congr. Numer., 219 (2014) 161--173] who asked whether every such graph has a $K_3$-WORM coloring with two colors. In fact for every integer $k\ge 3$ there exists a $K_3$-WORM colorable graph in which the minimum number of colors is exactly $k$. There also exist $K_3$-WORM colorable graphs which have a $K_3$-WORM coloring with two colors and also with $k$ colors but no coloring with any of $3,\dots,k-1$ colors. We also prove that it is NP-hard to determine the minimum number of colors and NP-complete to decide $k$-colorability for every $k \ge 2$ (and remains intractable even for graphs of maximum degree 9 if $k=3$). On the other hand, we prove positive results for $d$-degenerate graphs with small $d$, also including planar graphs. Moreover we point out a fundamental connection with the theory of the colorings of mixed hypergraphs. We list many open problems at the end.Comment: 18 page

F-WORM colorings: Results for 2-connected graphs

Given two graphs F and G, an F-WORM coloring of G is an assignment of colors to its vertices in such a way that no F-subgraph of G is monochromatic or rainbow. If G has at least one such coloring, then it is called F-WORM colorable and W−(G,F) denotes the minimum possible number of colors. Here, we consider F-WORM colorings with a fixed 2-connected graph F and prove the following three main results: (1) For every natural number k, there exists a graph G which is F-WORM colorable and W−(G,F)=k; (2) It is NP-complete to decide whether a graph is F-WORM colorable; (3) For each k≥|V(F)|−1, it is NP-complete to decide whether a graph G satisfies W−(G,F)≤k. This remains valid on the class of F-WORM colorable graphs of bounded maximum degree. We also prove that for each n≥3, there exists a graph G and integers r and s such that s≥r+2, G has Kn-WORM colorings with exactly r and also with s colors, but it admits no Kn-WORM colorings with exactly r+1,…,s−1 colors. Moreover, the difference s−r can be arbitrarily large. © 2017 Elsevier B.V