Chromatic index of complete graph

deformere692qr

deformere692qr

Answered question

2022-04-12

Chromatic index of complete graph K n after removing one edge

Answer & Explanation

taweirrvb

taweirrvb

Beginner2022-04-13Added 21 answers

Step 1
The hard case is n odd. Let us write the resulting graph from removing an edge from K n , as H n . Then the chromatic index of H n is still exactly n.
To see this, first note the following: if H n had chromatic index n 1 or smaller, then it would be possible to partition the edge-set of H n into n 1 matchings. We claim this is impossible. Indeed, as n is odd, each matching in H n has at most n 1 2 dges [make sure you see why]. Thus, if it were possible to partition the edge-set of H n into at most n 1 matchings, the graph H n would have at most ( n 1 ) × n 1 2 edges. However, H n has ( n × n 1 2 ) 1 > ( n 1 ) × n 1 2 edges, so it is indeed impossible to partition the edge-set of H n into n 1 or fewer matchings after all. Thus the chromatic index of H n is at least n.
Step 2
As the chromatic index of K n is exactly n however, and H n is a subgraph of K n , it follows that the chromatic index of H n cannot be any larger than n as well, and so from the previous paragraph it must be exactly n.
Can you handle the case for n even? HINT: For n 4 note that removing an edge from K n does not change the minimum degree, it still remains n 1...

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