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Understanding Isomorphic Graphs

Mathematical Fundamental of computer science

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Vaidehi Suthar
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252 views3 pages

Understanding Isomorphic Graphs

Mathematical Fundamental of computer science

Uploaded by

Vaidehi Suthar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Graph Theory

Isomorphic Graphs
Aim

To introduce and define the idea of isomorphic graphs.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this section you will:

• Know what it means for two graphs to be isomorphic,

• Know how to check if two simple graphs are isomorphic,

• Know how to show that two more complex graphs are not isomorphic.

Often, two graphs may look completely different on paper, but are essentially the
same from a mathematical point of view. Take for example the two graphs in Figure 1.
These graphs are the same — they have the same vertices, the same edges and the same
edge-to-endpoint function. If we relabel the vertices and edges of the graph in Figure
1(a) by the following mappings, the graphs would be the same:

f1 : 1 → a f2 : a1 → e2
2→c a 2 → e1
3→b
4→d

Figure 1: Isomorphic graphs

Structures that are the same except for relabelling are called isomorphic structures.
To show that two structures are the isomorphic, we must produce a relabelling (one-
1
Graph Theory
to-one, onto mappings between the elements of the structures) and then show that the
important properties of the structures are preserved under the relabeling.

In the case of graphs, the elements are vertices and edges. The “important property”
in a graph is which edges connect which vertices.

We can use (V1 , E1 , g1 ) and (V2 , E2 , g2 ) to represent two graphs. V represents the
vertices, E the edges and g the rule linking edges with vertices. Using this notation it
is possible to define isomorphic graphs as follows:

Isomorphic Graph: Two graphs (V1 , E1 , g1 ) and (V2 , E2 , g2 ) are isomorphic if there
are bijections f1 : V1 → V2 and f2 : E1 → E2 such that for each edge a ∈ E1 , g1 (a) = x−y
if and only if g2 [f2 (a)] = f1 (x) − f1 (y).

It is not always easy to establish if 2 graphs are isomorphic or not. An exception


is the case where the graphs are simple. In this case, we just need to check if there is
a bijection f : V1 → V2 which preserves adjacent vertices (i.e. if v1 , v2 are adjacent in
graph 1, then f (v1 ), f (v2 ) must be adjacent in graph 2).

If the graphs are not simple, we need more sophisticated methods to check for when
two graphs are isomorphic. However, it is often straightforward to show that two graphs
are not isomorphic. You can do this by showing any of the following seven conditions
are true.

1. The two graphs have different numbers of vertices.

2. The two graphs have different numbers of edges.

3. One graph has parallel edges and the other does not.

4. One graph has a loop and the other does not.

5. One graph has a vertice of degree k (for example) and the other does not.

6. One graph is connected and the other is not.

7. One graph has a cycle and the other has not.

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Graph Theory

Related Reading
Gersting, J.L. 2007. Mathematical Structures For Computer Science. W.H. Freeman
and Company.

Common questions

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Non-simple graphs introduce complexities such as parallel edges and loops that require sophisticated methods beyond simple bijection checks to determine isomorphism. These complexities demand more detailed analysis of edge correspondences and structural characteristics, making isomorphism challenging to establish .

When one graph is connected and another is not, they cannot be isomorphic because isomorphism requires that both graphs share the same connectivity properties. Connectivity helps to quickly rule out equivalence when structural dissimilarities are present .

For simple graphs, checking isomorphism involves verifying if there is a bijection between their vertex sets that preserves adjacency. This makes the process of determining isomorphism more straightforward compared to complex graphs, which require more sophisticated methods .

Graph isomorphism has significant implications for computer science, including object recognition, chemical compound analysis, and network topology mapping. Identifying isomorphic structures allows for recognizing equivalence in varying representations, optimizing database search, and comparing network structures .

Relabeling demonstrates graph isomorphism by providing one-to-one, onto mappings between the elements of two graphs, ensuring that connectivity properties are maintained. For instance, if two graphs look different but have equivalent vertex and edge sets after relabeling, they are considered isomorphic .

Vertex degree affects graph isomorphism as two isomorphic graphs must have vertices with identical degrees. If one graph has a vertex with degree k and the corresponding graph does not, they cannot be isomorphic. Degree consistency is crucial in establishing vertex correspondences between graphs .

If one graph has a cycle and another does not, they cannot be isomorphic as isomorphic graphs must preserve cycle properties. Differing presence of cycles between graphs can quickly identify a lack of isomorphism, demonstrating the necessity of shared fundamental properties in isomorphic graphs .

Two graphs (V1, E1, g1) and (V2, E2, g2) are isomorphic if there are bijections f1 : V1 → V2 and f2 : E1 → E2 such that for each edge a ∈ E1, g1(a) = x−y if and only if g2[f2(a)] = f1(x) − f1(y). This ensures that the important graph property of connectivity is preserved under the relabeling .

To conclude that two graphs are not isomorphic, check for any of the following conditions: different numbers of vertices, different numbers of edges, presence of parallel edges or loops in only one graph, differing vertex degrees, differences in connectivity, and the presence or absence of cycles in only one graph .

Two graphs can appear different because of vertex and edge labeling; however, they can still be isomorphic if there exists a bijection between their vertex and edge sets that preserves the graph connectivity. The visual appearance does not alter the mathematical equivalence under relabelings .

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