Quinn Ngo

MATH 470
4-10.) Show that the Peterson graph
as to be a Cayley color graph.

cannot be colored and labeled so

Assume by way of contradiction that the Peterson graph can be colored

and labeled so as to be a Cayley color graph. In other words, assume that the
Peterson graph is a Cayley graph some group . Because |V ( )|=10 ,
must be of order 10. Thus must be either D5 or Z 10 .
We know that |E( )|=15 . So, we must find a presentation for
yields 15 edges.

that

Any generator with order x 2 in the generating set of will

yield 10 edges of color in C ( ) . If x=2 , there will be 5 edges of
color in C ( ) . Because |E( )|=15 is not divisible by 10, we know
that must contain some generator y of order 2. We also know that
there are not three generators of order 2, as such a graph would not have 10
vertices.
Thus contains some generator of order 2 and some generator with an
order than other than 2. Upon deleting edges of color y from C ( ) , we
are left with two isomorphic subgraphs representing a subgroup of . This
subgroup is of index 2 and has an order of 5. There is only one group of order
5: Z 5 . Furthermore, there is only one presentation of Z 5 that has only
one generator. This generator is of order 5.
Thus
5.

must contain one generator of order 2 and one generator of order

There are only two presentations of

2
5
5 2
2 5
Z 10= x , x ( x ) =e=( x ) >
4

5 2

Z 10

that fulfill these conditions:

4 5

Z 10= x , x ( x ) =e=( x ) >

There is only one presentation of
D 5= x , y x5 =e= y 2=xyxy >

D5

that fulfills these conditions:

Notice the underlying graphs of all 3 of these Cayley color graphs are
isomorphic. These graphs all contain a cycle of length 4. There is no cycle of
length 4 in , a contradiction.
4-17.) A graph is n-factorable if it can be expressed as an edge disjoint
union of n-factors. Find a non-trivial sufficient condition for a Cayley graph
G ( ) to be:
(i)

1-factorable

Quinn Ngo
MATH 470
Any even cycle is 1-factorable, so a graph that is a disjoint collection
of even cycles is 1-factorable. Generators of even degree yield
spanning collections of isomorphic even cycles. Thus G ( ) will
be 1-factorable if all generators in are of even degree.
(ii)

2-factorable
G ( ) is 2-factorable if you can partition its generators in such a
way that each of the subgraphs produced by the generators in each
partition is 2-regular. In order to be 2-regular, a Cayley graph must
be generated either from one generator of order greater than 2 or
from exactly two generators of order 2. Thus we arrive at the
condition that there must be an even number of order 2 generators
in .

(iii)

3-factorable
G ( ) is 3-factorable if you can partition its generators in a way
such that each of the subgraphs produced by the generators in each
partition is 3-regular. In order to be 3-regular, a G ( ) must be
generated from either three generators of order 2 or one generator
of order 2 and one generator of order greater than 2. So, for some
graph that is generated by x generators of order 2 and y generators
of order greater than 2.
Thus we obtain the condition:
x yx y 0(mod 3)

(iv)

eulerian
In order for a G ( ) to be eulerian, it must have vertices of all
even degree. Any generator of order other than 2 contributes 2 to
the degree of each vertex. Any generator of order 2 contributes 1 to
the degree of each vertex. Let x be the number of generators of
order 2 and y be the number of generators with order greater than
2. We need x+ 2 y 0 (mod 2) . This will happen if and only if x is
even. In other words, G ( ) is eulerian if and only if there are an
even number of order 2 generators in .

4-18.) Show that the n-cube

Qn

is m-factorable if and only if m divides n.

Assume that Qn is m-factorable. Then Qn can be expressed as an

edge disjoint union of m-factors. Say Qn can be expressed as the disjoint
union of k m-factors. Then the degree of each vertex of Qn is km. Recall an
n-cube is regular of degree n. Then n=km. Thus m divides n.
It is sufficient to prove that the
m.

Qn

is m-factorable if n is a multiple of

Quinn Ngo
MATH 470
We will use induction.
Since n is a multiple of m, n can be written as km where k is a positive
integer.
For our base case, we assume k=1. Then Qkm =Q(1)m =Qm
Qm is its own m-factor. So Qm is m-factorable.

is m-regular. Thus

Assume Qkm is m-factorable. Q(k +1) m=Q km+m is the Cayley graph of the
abelian group whose generating set is comprised of km+m
generators of degree 2. Upon the removal of edges corresponding to km of
the generators, we are left with a graph comprised of disjoint isomorphic
subgraphs corresponding to the subgroup generated by m generators of
order 2. By definition, this subgroup is Qm . So we have a spanning
subgraph of Qkm+m that is an m-factor (because Qm is m-regular).
Now, remove this first m-factor from Qkm+m . This leaves us with subgraphs
representing the abelian group generated by km generators of order 2. Each
of these subgraphs is isomorphic to Qkm . By our induction hypothesis, we
know Qkm is m-factorable. So our graph comprised of disjoint isomorphic
copies of Qkm is m-factorable.
We have now partitioned the edges of Qkm+m in such a way that each
partition is m-factorable. Thus Qkm+m is m-factorable.
Thus we have proven that Qn is m-factorable if n is a multiple of m. This is
equivalent to saying that Qn is m-factorable if m divides n.