arXiv subjects

Guillermo Pineda-Villavicencio

Publications and source records attributed to Guillermo Pineda-Villavicencio.

32 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2018

Polytopes close to being simple

It is known that polytopes with at most two nonsimple vertices are reconstructible from their graphs, and that $d$-polytopes with at most $d-2$ nonsimple vertices are reconstructible from their 2-skeletons. Here we close the gap between 2 and $d-2$, showing that certain polytopes with more than two nonsimple vertices are reconstructible from their graphs. In particular, we prove that reconstructibility from graphs also holds for $d$-polytopes with $d+k$ vertices and at most $d-k+3$ nonsimple vertices, provided $k\ge 5$. For $k\le4$, the same conclusion holds under a slightly stronger assumption. Another measure of deviation from simplicity is the {\it excess degree} of a polytope, defined as $ξ(P):=2f_1-df_0$, where $f_k$ denotes the number of $k$-dimensional faces of the polytope. Simple polytopes are those with excess zero. We prove that polytopes with excess at most $d-1$ are reconstructible from their graphs, and this is best possible. An interesting intermediate result is that $d$-polytopes with less than $2d$ vertices, and at most $d-1$ nonsimple vertices, are necessarily pyramids.

math.CO↗

arXiv2018

Almost simplicial polytopes I. The lower and upper bound theorems

We study $n$-vertex $d$-dimensional polytopes with at most one nonsimplex facet with, say, $d+s$ vertices, called {\it almost simplicial polytopes}. We provide tight lower and upper bound theorems for these polytopes as functions of $d,n$ and $s$, thus generalizing the classical Lower Bound Theorem by Barnette and Upper Bound Theorem by McMullen, which treat the case of $s=0$. We characterize the minimizers and provide examples of maximizers, for any $d$. Our construction of maximizers is a generalization of cyclic polytopes, based on a suitable variation of the moment curve, and is of independent interest.

math.CO↗

arXiv2018

On the reconstruction of polytopes

Blind and Mani, and later Kalai, showed that the face lattice of a simple polytope is determined by its graph, namely its $1$-skeleton. Call a vertex of a $d$-polytope \emph{nonsimple} if the number of edges incident to it is more than $d$. We show that (1) the face lattice of any $d$-polytope with at most two nonsimple vertices is determined by its $1$-skeleton; (2) the face lattice of any $d$-polytope with at most $d-2$ nonsimple vertices is determined by its $2$-skeleton; and (3) for any $d>3$ there are two $d$-polytopes with $d-1$ nonsimple vertices, isomorphic $(d-3)$-skeleta and nonisomorphic face lattices. In particular, the result (1) is best possible for $4$-polytopes.

math.CO↗

arXiv2018

The excess degree of a polytope

We define the excess degree $ξ(P)$ of a $d$-polytope $P$ as $2f_1-df_0$, where $f_0$ and $f_1$ denote the number of vertices and edges, respectively. This parameter measures how much $P$ deviates from being simple. It turns out that the excess degree of a $d$-polytope does not take every natural number: the smallest possible values are $0$ and $d-2$, and the value $d-1$ only occurs when $d=3$ or 5. On the other hand, for fixed $d$, the number of values not taken by the excess degree is finite if $d$ is odd, and the number of even values not taken by the excess degree is finite if $d$ is even. The excess degree is then applied in three different settings. It is used to show that polytopes with small excess (i.e. $ξ(P)<d$) have a very particular structure: provided $d\ne5$, either there is a unique nonsimple vertex, or every nonsimple vertex has degree $d+1$. This implies that such polytopes behave in a similar manner to simple polytopes in terms of Minkowski decomposability: they are either decomposable or pyramidal, and their duals are always indecomposable. Secondly, we characterise completely the decomposable $d$-polytopes with $2d+1$ vertices (up to combinatorial equivalence). And thirdly all pairs $(f_0,f_1)$, for which there exists a 5-polytope with $f_0$ vertices and $f_1$ edges, are determined.

math.CO↗

arXiv2015

On the maximum order of graphs embedded in surfaces

The maximum number of vertices in a graph of maximum degree $Δ\ge 3$ and fixed diameter $k\ge 2$ is upper bounded by $(1+o(1))(Δ-1)^{k}$. If we restrict our graphs to certain classes, better upper bounds are known. For instance, for the class of trees there is an upper bound of $(2+o(1))(Δ-1)^{\lfloor k/2\rfloor}$ for a fixed $k$. The main result of this paper is that graphs embedded in surfaces of bounded Euler genus $g$ behave like trees, in the sense that, for large $Δ$, such graphs have orders bounded from above by \[begin{cases} c(g+1)(Δ-1)^{\lfloor k/2\rfloor} & \text{if $k$ is even} c(g^{3/2}+1)(Δ-1)^{\lfloor k/2\rfloor} & \text{if $k$ is odd}, \{cases}\] where $c$ is an absolute constant. This result represents a qualitative improvement over all previous results, even for planar graphs of odd diameter $k$. With respect to lower bounds, we construct graphs of Euler genus $g$, odd diameter $k$, and order $c(\sqrt{g}+1)(Δ-1)^{\lfloor k/2\rfloor}$ for some absolute constant $c>0$. Our results answer in the negative a question of Miller and Širáň (2005).

math.CO↗

arXiv2015

Quadratic form representations via generalized continuants

H. J. S. Smith proved Fermat's two-square theorem using the notion of palindromic continuants. In this paper we extend Smith's approach to proper binary quadratic form representations in some commutative Euclidean rings, including rings of integers and rings of polynomials over fields of odd characteristic. Also, we present new deterministic algorithms for finding the corresponding proper representations.

math.NT↗

arXiv2014

Continuants and some decompositions into squares

In 1855 H. J. S. Smith proved Fermat's two-square using the notion of palindromic continuants. In his paper, Smith constructed a proper representation of a prime number $p$ as a sum of two squares, given a solution of $z^2+1\equiv0\pmod{p}$, and vice versa. In this paper, we extend the use of continuants to proper representations by sums of two squares in rings of polynomials on fields of characteristic different from 2. New deterministic algorithms for finding the corresponding proper representations are presented. Our approach will provide a new constructive proof of the four-square theorem and new proofs for other representations of integers by quaternary quadratic forms.

math.NT↗

arXiv2014

The degree-diameter problem for sparse graph classes

The degree-diameter problem asks for the maximum number of vertices in a graph with maximum degree $Δ$ and diameter $k$. For fixed $k$, the answer is $Θ(Δ^k)$. We consider the degree-diameter problem for particular classes of sparse graphs, and establish the following results. For graphs of bounded average degree the answer is $Θ(Δ^{k-1})$, and for graphs of bounded arboricity the answer is $Θ(Δ^{\floor{k/2}})$, in both cases for fixed $k$. For graphs of given treewidth, we determine the the maximum number of vertices up to a constant factor. More precise bounds are given for graphs of given treewidth, graphs embeddable on a given surface, and apex-minor-free graphs.

math.CO↗

arXiv2013

Fitting Voronoi Diagrams to Planar Tesselations

Given a tesselation of the plane, defined by a planar straight-line graph $G$, we want to find a minimal set $S$ of points in the plane, such that the Voronoi diagram associated with $S$ "fits" \ $G$. This is the Generalized Inverse Voronoi Problem (GIVP), defined in \cite{Trin07} and rediscovered recently in \cite{Baner12}. Here we give an algorithm that solves this problem with a number of points that is linear in the size of $G$, assuming that the smallest angle in $G$ is constant.

cs.CG↗

arXiv2013

Constructions of Large Graphs on Surfaces

We consider the degree/diameter problem for graphs embedded in a surface, namely, given a surface $Σ$ and integers $Δ$ and $k$, determine the maximum order $N(Δ,k,Σ)$ of a graph embeddable in $Σ$ with maximum degree $Δ$ and diameter $k$. We introduce a number of constructions which produce many new largest known planar and toroidal graphs. We record all these graphs in the available tables of largest known graphs. Given a surface $Σ$ of Euler genus $g$ and an odd diameter $k$, the current best asymptotic lower bound for $N(Δ,k,Σ)$ is given by \[\sqrt{\frac{3}{8}g}Δ^{\lfloor k/2\rfloor}.\] Our constructions produce new graphs of order \[\begin{cases}6Δ^{\lfloor k/2\rfloor}& \text{if $Σ$ is the Klein bottle}\\ $\frac{7}{2}+\sqrt{6g+\frac{1}{4}}$Δ^{\lfloor k/2\rfloor}& \text{otherwise,}\end{cases}\] thus improving the former value by a factor of 4.

math.CO↗

arXiv2012

On large bipartite graphs of diameter 3

We consider the bipartite version of the {\it degree/diameter problem}, namely, given natural numbers $d\ge2$ and $D\ge2$, find the maximum number $\N^b(d,D)$ of vertices in a bipartite graph of maximum degree $d$ and diameter $D$. In this context, the bipartite Moore bound $\M^b(d,D)$ represents a general upper bound for $\N^b(d,D)$. Bipartite graphs of order $\M^b(d,D)$ are very rare, and determining $\N^b(d,D)$ still remains an open problem for most $(d,D)$ pairs. This paper is a follow-up to our earlier paper \cite{FPV12}, where a study on bipartite $(d,D,-4)$-graphs (that is, bipartite graphs of order $\M^b(d,D)-4$) was carried out. Here we first present some structural properties of bipartite $(d,3,-4)$-graphs, and later prove there are no bipartite $(7,3,-4)$-graphs. This result implies that the known bipartite $(7,3,-6)$-graph is optimal, and therefore $\N^b(7,3)=80$. Our approach also bears a proof of the uniqueness of the known bipartite $(5,3,-4)$-graph, and the non-existence of bipartite $(6,3,-4)$-graphs. In addition, we discover three new largest known bipartite (and also vertex-transitive) graphs of degree 11, diameter 3 and order 190, result which improves by 4 vertices the previous lower bound for $\N^b(11,3)$.

math.CO↗

arXiv2011

On bipartite graphs of defect at most 4

We consider the bipartite version of the degree/diameter problem, namely, given natural numbers Δ \geq 2 and D \geq 2, find the maximum number Nb(Δ,D) of vertices in a bipartite graph of maximum degree Δ and diameter D. In this context, the Moore bipartite bound Mb(Δ,D) represents an upper bound for Nb(Δ,D). Bipartite graphs of maximum degree Δ, diameter D and order Mb(Δ,D), called Moore bipartite graphs, have turned out to be very rare. Therefore, it is very interesting to investigate bipartite graphs of maximum degree Δ \geq 2, diameter D \geq 2 and order Mb(Δ,D) - εwith small ε> 0, that is, bipartite (Δ,D,-ε)-graphs. The parameter εis called the defect. This paper considers bipartite graphs of defect at most 4, and presents all the known such graphs. Bipartite graphs of defect 2 have been studied in the past; if Δ \geq 3 and D \geq 3, they may only exist for D = 3. However, when ε> 2 bipartite (Δ,D,-ε)-graphs represent a wide unexplored area. The main results of the paper include several necessary conditions for the existence of bipartite $(Δ,d,-4)$-graphs; the complete catalogue of bipartite (3,D,-ε)-graphs with D \geq 2 and 0 \leq ε\leq 4; the complete catalogue of bipartite (Δ,D,-ε)-graphs with Δ \geq 2, 5 \leq D \leq 187 (D /= 6) and 0 \leq ε\leq 4; and a non-existence proof of all bipartite (Δ,D,-4)-graphs with Δ \geq 3 and odd D \geq 7. Finally, we conjecture that there are no bipartite graphs of defect 4 for Δ \geq 3 and D \geq 5, and comment on some implications of our results for upper bounds of Nb(Δ,D).

math.CO↗

arXiv2011

On graphs of defect at most 2

In this paper we consider the degree/diameter problem, namely, given natural numbers Δ \geq 2 and D \geq 1, find the maximum number N(Δ,D) of vertices in a graph of maximum degree Δ and diameter D. In this context, the Moore bound M(Δ,D) represents an upper bound for N(Δ,D). Graphs of maximum degree Δ, diameter D and order M(Δ,D), called Moore graphs, turned out to be very rare. Therefore, it is very interesting to investigate graphs of maximum degree Δ \geq 2, diameter D \geq 1 and order M(Δ,D) - ε with small ε > 0, that is, (Δ,D,-ε)-graphs. The parameter ε is called the defect. Graphs of defect 1 exist only for Δ = 2. When ε > 1, (Δ,D,-ε)-graphs represent a wide unexplored area. This paper focuses on graphs of defect 2. Building on the approaches developed in [11] we obtain several new important results on this family of graphs. First, we prove that the girth of a (Δ,D,-2)-graph with Δ \geq 4 and D \geq 4 is 2D. Second, and most important, we prove the non-existence of (Δ,D,-2)-graphs with even Δ \geq 4 and D \geq 4; this outcome, together with a proof on the non-existence of (4, 3,-2)-graphs (also provided in the paper), allows us to complete the catalogue of (4,D,-ε)-graphs with D \geq 2 and 0 \leq ε \leq 2. Such a catalogue is only the second census of (Δ,D,-2)-graphs known at present, the first being the one of (3,D,-ε)-graphs with D \geq 2 and 0 \leq ε \leq 2 [14]. Other results of this paper include necessary conditions for the existence of (Δ,D,-2)-graphs with odd Δ \geq 5 and D \geq 4, and the non-existence of (Δ,D,-2)-graphs with odd Δ \geq 5 and D \geq 5 such that Δ \equiv 0, 2 (mod D).

math.CO↗

arXiv2010

On graphs with cyclic defect or excess

The Moore bound constitutes both an upper bound on the order of a graph of maximum degree $d$ and diameter $D=k$ and a lower bound on the order of a graph of minimum degree $d$ and odd girth $g=2k+1$. Graphs missing or exceeding the Moore bound by $ε$ are called {\it graphs with defect or excess $ε$}, respectively. While {\it Moore graphs} (graphs with $ε=0$) and graphs with defect or excess 1 have been characterized almost completely, graphs with defect or excess 2 represent a wide unexplored area. Graphs with defect (excess) 2 satisfy the equation $G_{d,k}(A) = J_n + B$ ($G_{d,k}(A) = J_n-B$), where $A$ denotes the adjacency matrix of the graph in question, $n$ its order, $J_n$ the $n\times n$ matrix whose entries are all 1's, $B$ the adjacency matrix of a union of vertex-disjoint cycles, and $G_{d,k}(x)$ a polynomial with integer coefficients such that the matrix $G_{d,k}(A)$ gives the number of paths of length at most $k$ joining each pair of vertices in the graph. In particular, if $B$ is the adjacency matrix of a cycle of order $n$ we call the corresponding graphs \emph{graphs with cyclic defect or excess}; these graphs are the subject of our attention in this paper. We prove the non-existence of infinitely many such graphs. As the highlight of the paper we provide the asymptotic upper bound of $O(\frac{64}3d^{3/2})$ for the number of graphs of odd degree $d\ge3$ and cyclic defect or excess. This bound is in fact quite generous, and as a way of illustration, we show the non-existence of some families of graphs of odd degree $d\ge3$ and cyclic defect or excess. Actually, we conjecture that, apart from the Möbius ladder on 8 vertices, no non-trivial graph of any degree $\ge 3$ and cyclic defect or excess exists.

math.CO↗