Embedding On A Surface
It is evident that subdividing a graph preserves planarity. Kuratowski's theorem states that
- a finite graph is planar if and only if it contains no subgraph homeomorphic to K5 (complete graph on five vertices) or K3,3 (complete bipartite graph on six vertices, three of which connect to each of the other three).
In fact, a graph homeomorphic to K5 or K3,3 is called a Kuratowski subgraph.
A generalization, flowing from the Robertson–Seymour theorem, asserts that for each integer g, there is a finite obstruction set of graphs such that a graph H is embeddable on a surface of genus g if and only if H contains no homeomorphic copy of any of the . For example, contains the Kuratowski subgraphs.
Read more about this topic: Homeomorphism (graph Theory)
Famous quotes containing the word surface:
“If the man who paints only the tree, or flower, or other surface he sees before him were an artist, the king of artists would be the photographer. It is for the artist to do something beyond this: in portrait painting to put on canvas something more than the face the model wears for that one day; to paint the man, in short, as well as his features.”
—James Mcneill Whistler (1834–1903)