S-72.2420 / T-79.5203 Graph Theory (5 cr) P

Spring 2006

[Current] [General Information] [Lectures] [Tutorials] [TOPI] [Spring 2005]

Graph theory is arguably one of the most studied topics in contemporary discrete mathematics, and its theoretical and applied importance is constantly growing. Graph-theoretic problems are encountered in diverse applications such as bioinformatics and decoding algorithms in telecommunications --- not to mention the more traditional applications such as routing, flow problems, and project scheduling. Although sporadic graph-theoretic concepts and results are encountered also in other courses taught here at TKK, the aim of this course is to provide a more in-depth introduction to graph theory.

The course is divided into two parts, theory and algorithms. The theory part covers basic types of graphs and central graph theoretic concepts such as distance, symmetry, coloring, connectivity, planarity, and so forth. A further goal is to learn logical reasoning together with tools and proof techniques commonly applied in discrete mathematics. The algorithm part reviews some of the central graph algorithms/problems such as depth- and breadth-first search together with their numerous applications, shortest path, minimum spanning tree, maximum matching, maximum flow, and so forth. Here one central aim is to understand the connection between a mathematical result and the algorithm that exploits it. Associated with the algorithm part is a programming project.

The course is organized jointly by the Communications Laboratory at the Department of Electrical and Communications Engineering and the Laboratory for Theoretical Computer Science at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. The course is also recommended to mathematically oriented students from other departments.

Please note that although all the course material is in English, the lecturing language is Finnish.

Current

March 15

Instructions for the programming project are available here.
Please remember to register your project group by March 17.
The lecture slides for the first lecture contain information on grading and practical arrangements.
The tutorials start on March 20.

January 5

The lectures start on March 15. Registration is via Topi (course T-79.5203).

General Information

• Prerequisites: Basic courses in mathematics and computer science.
• Literature: D. B. West, Introduction to Graph Theory, 2nd ed., Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River NJ, 2001. D. Jungnickel, Graphs, Networks and Algorithms, 2nd ed., Springer, Berlin, 2005.
• Electronic literature: R. Diestel, Graph Theory, 3rd ed., Springer, Heidelberg, 2005.
• Lectures: Wednesdays 9-12, hall T4 (Konemiehentie 2) and Fridays 9-12, hall T4 (Konemiehentie 2). First lecture: March 15.
• Teachers: D.Sc.(Tech.) Petteri Kaski (contact information), Prof. Patric Östergård (contact information).
• Tutorials: Mondays 10-12, hall T4 (Konemiehentie 2) and Thursdays 10-12, hall T4 (Konemiehentie 2). First tutorial session: March 20.
• Assistant: M.Sc.(Tech.) Jori Dubrovin, room TB348 (Konemiehentie 2), tel. 451 6237, e-mail: jdubrovi(at)tcs(dot)hut(dot)fi.
• Grading: Exam and programming project.
• Exam: May 15, 2006, 16-19, hall T1 (Konemiehentie 2).
• Registration: Registration is via Topi (course T-79.5203).
• Newsgroup: opinnot.tik.graafiteoria

Lectures

March 15

Practical arrangements, introduction

March 17

Basic concepts

March 22

Trees and distance; graph parameters

March 24

Searching a graph, applications

March 29

Shortest paths and minimum spanning trees

March 31

Matching in bipartite and general graphs

April 5

Flows and circulations

April 7

Connectivity; coloring

April 12

Matroids and the greedy algorithm

April 14

No lecture (Easter holiday)

April 19

No lecture (Easter holiday)

April 21

Planarity; edges and cycles

April 26

Matroids (beyond the greedy algorithm)

April 28

Project review for the programming project

Also available are an English-Finnish-Swedish dictionary consisting of some central graph-theoretic terms, and a course brochure (in Finnish).

Tutorials