Half-transitive graph
Encyclopedia
In the mathematical
field of graph theory
, a half-transitive graph is a graph
that is both vertex-transitive
and edge-transitive
, but not symmetric
. In other words, a graph is half-transitive if its automorphism group acts transitively
upon both its vertices and its edges, but not on ordered pairs of linked vertices.
Every connected symmetric graph
must be vertex-transitive
and edge-transitive
, and the converse is true for graphs of odd degree, so that half-transitive graphs of odd degree do not exist. However, there do exist half-transitive graphs of even degree. The smallest half-transitive graph is the Holt graph
, with degree 4 and 27 vertices.
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
field of graph theory
Graph theory
In mathematics and computer science, graph theory is the study of graphs, mathematical structures used to model pairwise relations between objects from a certain collection. A "graph" in this context refers to a collection of vertices or 'nodes' and a collection of edges that connect pairs of...
, a half-transitive graph is a graph
Graph (mathematics)
In mathematics, a graph is an abstract representation of a set of objects where some pairs of the objects are connected by links. The interconnected objects are represented by mathematical abstractions called vertices, and the links that connect some pairs of vertices are called edges...
that is both vertex-transitive
Vertex-transitive graph
In the mathematical field of graph theory, a vertex-transitive graph is a graph G such that, given any two vertices v1 and v2 of G, there is some automorphismf:V \rightarrow V\ such thatf = v_2.\...
and edge-transitive
Edge-transitive graph
In the mathematical field of graph theory, an edge-transitive graph is a graph G such that, given any two edges e1 and e2 of G, there is anautomorphism of G that maps e1 to e2....
, but not symmetric
Symmetric graph
In the mathematical field of graph theory, a graph G is symmetric if, given any two pairs of adjacent vertices u1—v1 and u2—v2 of G, there is an automorphismsuch that...
. In other words, a graph is half-transitive if its automorphism group acts transitively
Group action
In algebra and geometry, a group action is a way of describing symmetries of objects using groups. The essential elements of the object are described by a set, and the symmetries of the object are described by the symmetry group of this set, which consists of bijective transformations of the set...
upon both its vertices and its edges, but not on ordered pairs of linked vertices.
Symmetric graph
In the mathematical field of graph theory, a graph G is symmetric if, given any two pairs of adjacent vertices u1—v1 and u2—v2 of G, there is an automorphismsuch that...
must be vertex-transitive
Vertex-transitive graph
In the mathematical field of graph theory, a vertex-transitive graph is a graph G such that, given any two vertices v1 and v2 of G, there is some automorphismf:V \rightarrow V\ such thatf = v_2.\...
and edge-transitive
Edge-transitive graph
In the mathematical field of graph theory, an edge-transitive graph is a graph G such that, given any two edges e1 and e2 of G, there is anautomorphism of G that maps e1 to e2....
, and the converse is true for graphs of odd degree, so that half-transitive graphs of odd degree do not exist. However, there do exist half-transitive graphs of even degree. The smallest half-transitive graph is the Holt graph
Holt graph
In the mathematical field of graph theory, the Holt graph or Doyle graph is the smallest half-transitive graph, that is, the smallest example of a vertex-transitive and edge-transitive graph which is not also symmetric. Such graphs are not common. It is named after Peter G. Doyle and Derek F...
, with degree 4 and 27 vertices.