Exercise on number of walks in a graph
$begingroup$
The following is an exercise (Exercise #2 (a), Chapter 3, page 28) from Richard Stanley's Algebraic Combinatorics.
Let $G$ be a finite graph (allowing loops and multiple edges). Suppose that
there is some integer $l > 0$ such that the number of walks of length $l$ from
any fixed vertex u to any fixed vertex v is independent of u and v. Show that
G has the same number k of edges between any two vertices (including k
loops at each vertex).
My approach:
Let $A$ be the adjacency matrix of the graph $G$. The given condition implies that $exists l > 0$ such that $A^l = cJ$, where $c$ is a non-negative integer and $J$ is the all one matrix. In order to prove this exercise, it is equivalent to show that $A = d J$, for some non-negative integer $d$. The only way I am able to think of in order to prove this is via induction but that too I am not able to implement. Removing a vertex from a graph will still give some condition like $A^l = cJ$ is not clear to me.
Thanks in advance!!
matrices graph-theory random-walk algebraic-graph-theory algebraic-combinatorics
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
The following is an exercise (Exercise #2 (a), Chapter 3, page 28) from Richard Stanley's Algebraic Combinatorics.
Let $G$ be a finite graph (allowing loops and multiple edges). Suppose that
there is some integer $l > 0$ such that the number of walks of length $l$ from
any fixed vertex u to any fixed vertex v is independent of u and v. Show that
G has the same number k of edges between any two vertices (including k
loops at each vertex).
My approach:
Let $A$ be the adjacency matrix of the graph $G$. The given condition implies that $exists l > 0$ such that $A^l = cJ$, where $c$ is a non-negative integer and $J$ is the all one matrix. In order to prove this exercise, it is equivalent to show that $A = d J$, for some non-negative integer $d$. The only way I am able to think of in order to prove this is via induction but that too I am not able to implement. Removing a vertex from a graph will still give some condition like $A^l = cJ$ is not clear to me.
Thanks in advance!!
matrices graph-theory random-walk algebraic-graph-theory algebraic-combinatorics
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
I don't think induction will help. One approach is to show that $A$ must have rank equal to one, and then show that if any matrix $A$ is symmetric and rank-one, then $A^k=c^kA$ for any $k$.
$endgroup$
– Chris Godsil
Mar 29 '17 at 22:18
add a comment |
$begingroup$
The following is an exercise (Exercise #2 (a), Chapter 3, page 28) from Richard Stanley's Algebraic Combinatorics.
Let $G$ be a finite graph (allowing loops and multiple edges). Suppose that
there is some integer $l > 0$ such that the number of walks of length $l$ from
any fixed vertex u to any fixed vertex v is independent of u and v. Show that
G has the same number k of edges between any two vertices (including k
loops at each vertex).
My approach:
Let $A$ be the adjacency matrix of the graph $G$. The given condition implies that $exists l > 0$ such that $A^l = cJ$, where $c$ is a non-negative integer and $J$ is the all one matrix. In order to prove this exercise, it is equivalent to show that $A = d J$, for some non-negative integer $d$. The only way I am able to think of in order to prove this is via induction but that too I am not able to implement. Removing a vertex from a graph will still give some condition like $A^l = cJ$ is not clear to me.
Thanks in advance!!
matrices graph-theory random-walk algebraic-graph-theory algebraic-combinatorics
$endgroup$
The following is an exercise (Exercise #2 (a), Chapter 3, page 28) from Richard Stanley's Algebraic Combinatorics.
Let $G$ be a finite graph (allowing loops and multiple edges). Suppose that
there is some integer $l > 0$ such that the number of walks of length $l$ from
any fixed vertex u to any fixed vertex v is independent of u and v. Show that
G has the same number k of edges between any two vertices (including k
loops at each vertex).
My approach:
Let $A$ be the adjacency matrix of the graph $G$. The given condition implies that $exists l > 0$ such that $A^l = cJ$, where $c$ is a non-negative integer and $J$ is the all one matrix. In order to prove this exercise, it is equivalent to show that $A = d J$, for some non-negative integer $d$. The only way I am able to think of in order to prove this is via induction but that too I am not able to implement. Removing a vertex from a graph will still give some condition like $A^l = cJ$ is not clear to me.
Thanks in advance!!
matrices graph-theory random-walk algebraic-graph-theory algebraic-combinatorics
matrices graph-theory random-walk algebraic-graph-theory algebraic-combinatorics
edited Mar 29 '17 at 7:20
Shivani Goel
asked Mar 29 '17 at 7:12
Shivani GoelShivani Goel
227115
227115
$begingroup$
I don't think induction will help. One approach is to show that $A$ must have rank equal to one, and then show that if any matrix $A$ is symmetric and rank-one, then $A^k=c^kA$ for any $k$.
$endgroup$
– Chris Godsil
Mar 29 '17 at 22:18
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I don't think induction will help. One approach is to show that $A$ must have rank equal to one, and then show that if any matrix $A$ is symmetric and rank-one, then $A^k=c^kA$ for any $k$.
$endgroup$
– Chris Godsil
Mar 29 '17 at 22:18
$begingroup$
I don't think induction will help. One approach is to show that $A$ must have rank equal to one, and then show that if any matrix $A$ is symmetric and rank-one, then $A^k=c^kA$ for any $k$.
$endgroup$
– Chris Godsil
Mar 29 '17 at 22:18
$begingroup$
I don't think induction will help. One approach is to show that $A$ must have rank equal to one, and then show that if any matrix $A$ is symmetric and rank-one, then $A^k=c^kA$ for any $k$.
$endgroup$
– Chris Godsil
Mar 29 '17 at 22:18
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
Hint: Consider the formula for the number of triangles in a graph, $tr(A^3)/6$. The reason this holds is that, more generally, the entry $i,j$ in $A^k$ is constant (dependent only on $k$) multiple of the number of paths from $i$ to $j$.
When you think about the problem in these terms, you realize it's asking you to assume that every entry of $A^ell$ is the same, for some $ell$.
Can you take it from here?
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
Thanks for the suggestion!! But I am not familiar with much probability theory. If possible, I want to prove it in non probabilistic way.
$endgroup$
– Shivani Goel
Mar 29 '17 at 7:24
$begingroup$
@ShivaniGoel There's a way to do that same proof without probability theory. Are you aware of a formula for the number of triangles in a graph based on the adjacency matrix?
$endgroup$
– Stella Biderman
Mar 29 '17 at 7:34
$begingroup$
It is $Tr(A^3) / 6$?
$endgroup$
– Shivani Goel
Mar 29 '17 at 7:44
$begingroup$
@ShivaniGoel Correct. I've amended my answer to be based off of that fact.
$endgroup$
– Stella Biderman
Mar 29 '17 at 7:51
$begingroup$
I am not able to take it from here.
$endgroup$
– Shivani Goel
Mar 29 '17 at 14:34
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Since this exercise is in the chapter on random walks, I suspect the expected solution should also be in terms of those. It also follows some discussion on eigenvalues.
So I shall provide a solution that uses some elementary facts about the eigenvalues of adjacency matrices.
If $lambda_1, ldots, lambda_n$ are the $n$ eigenvalues of $A$ (of order $n$, the order of the graph), then the eigenvalues of $A^l$ are exactly $lambda_1^l, ldots, lambda_n^l$. Since $A^l = cJ$, whose eigenvalues are $cn, 0, ldots, 0$, we get
$lambda_1^l = cn$, $lambda_2^l = cdots = lambda_n^l = 0$.
This shows that $A$ is a matrix of rank $1$, and being symmetric, it can be written as $aa^T$, where $a$ is a (column) vector of length $n$.
Then $A^l = a(a^Ta)^{l-1}a = (a^Ta)^{l-1}A$ (since $a^Ta$ is scalar).
Thus, $A^l = cJ implies (a^Ta)^{l-1}A = cJ$, which shows that $A$ is a scalar multiple of $J$, as required.
(In fact, $a^Ta$ is nothing but the number of walks of length $1$ from the first vertex to itself, which is the number of loops on the first vertex)
$endgroup$
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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active
oldest
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
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active
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votes
$begingroup$
Hint: Consider the formula for the number of triangles in a graph, $tr(A^3)/6$. The reason this holds is that, more generally, the entry $i,j$ in $A^k$ is constant (dependent only on $k$) multiple of the number of paths from $i$ to $j$.
When you think about the problem in these terms, you realize it's asking you to assume that every entry of $A^ell$ is the same, for some $ell$.
Can you take it from here?
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
Thanks for the suggestion!! But I am not familiar with much probability theory. If possible, I want to prove it in non probabilistic way.
$endgroup$
– Shivani Goel
Mar 29 '17 at 7:24
$begingroup$
@ShivaniGoel There's a way to do that same proof without probability theory. Are you aware of a formula for the number of triangles in a graph based on the adjacency matrix?
$endgroup$
– Stella Biderman
Mar 29 '17 at 7:34
$begingroup$
It is $Tr(A^3) / 6$?
$endgroup$
– Shivani Goel
Mar 29 '17 at 7:44
$begingroup$
@ShivaniGoel Correct. I've amended my answer to be based off of that fact.
$endgroup$
– Stella Biderman
Mar 29 '17 at 7:51
$begingroup$
I am not able to take it from here.
$endgroup$
– Shivani Goel
Mar 29 '17 at 14:34
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Hint: Consider the formula for the number of triangles in a graph, $tr(A^3)/6$. The reason this holds is that, more generally, the entry $i,j$ in $A^k$ is constant (dependent only on $k$) multiple of the number of paths from $i$ to $j$.
When you think about the problem in these terms, you realize it's asking you to assume that every entry of $A^ell$ is the same, for some $ell$.
Can you take it from here?
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
Thanks for the suggestion!! But I am not familiar with much probability theory. If possible, I want to prove it in non probabilistic way.
$endgroup$
– Shivani Goel
Mar 29 '17 at 7:24
$begingroup$
@ShivaniGoel There's a way to do that same proof without probability theory. Are you aware of a formula for the number of triangles in a graph based on the adjacency matrix?
$endgroup$
– Stella Biderman
Mar 29 '17 at 7:34
$begingroup$
It is $Tr(A^3) / 6$?
$endgroup$
– Shivani Goel
Mar 29 '17 at 7:44
$begingroup$
@ShivaniGoel Correct. I've amended my answer to be based off of that fact.
$endgroup$
– Stella Biderman
Mar 29 '17 at 7:51
$begingroup$
I am not able to take it from here.
$endgroup$
– Shivani Goel
Mar 29 '17 at 14:34
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Hint: Consider the formula for the number of triangles in a graph, $tr(A^3)/6$. The reason this holds is that, more generally, the entry $i,j$ in $A^k$ is constant (dependent only on $k$) multiple of the number of paths from $i$ to $j$.
When you think about the problem in these terms, you realize it's asking you to assume that every entry of $A^ell$ is the same, for some $ell$.
Can you take it from here?
$endgroup$
Hint: Consider the formula for the number of triangles in a graph, $tr(A^3)/6$. The reason this holds is that, more generally, the entry $i,j$ in $A^k$ is constant (dependent only on $k$) multiple of the number of paths from $i$ to $j$.
When you think about the problem in these terms, you realize it's asking you to assume that every entry of $A^ell$ is the same, for some $ell$.
Can you take it from here?
edited Mar 29 '17 at 7:50
answered Mar 29 '17 at 7:22
Stella BidermanStella Biderman
26.6k63275
26.6k63275
$begingroup$
Thanks for the suggestion!! But I am not familiar with much probability theory. If possible, I want to prove it in non probabilistic way.
$endgroup$
– Shivani Goel
Mar 29 '17 at 7:24
$begingroup$
@ShivaniGoel There's a way to do that same proof without probability theory. Are you aware of a formula for the number of triangles in a graph based on the adjacency matrix?
$endgroup$
– Stella Biderman
Mar 29 '17 at 7:34
$begingroup$
It is $Tr(A^3) / 6$?
$endgroup$
– Shivani Goel
Mar 29 '17 at 7:44
$begingroup$
@ShivaniGoel Correct. I've amended my answer to be based off of that fact.
$endgroup$
– Stella Biderman
Mar 29 '17 at 7:51
$begingroup$
I am not able to take it from here.
$endgroup$
– Shivani Goel
Mar 29 '17 at 14:34
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Thanks for the suggestion!! But I am not familiar with much probability theory. If possible, I want to prove it in non probabilistic way.
$endgroup$
– Shivani Goel
Mar 29 '17 at 7:24
$begingroup$
@ShivaniGoel There's a way to do that same proof without probability theory. Are you aware of a formula for the number of triangles in a graph based on the adjacency matrix?
$endgroup$
– Stella Biderman
Mar 29 '17 at 7:34
$begingroup$
It is $Tr(A^3) / 6$?
$endgroup$
– Shivani Goel
Mar 29 '17 at 7:44
$begingroup$
@ShivaniGoel Correct. I've amended my answer to be based off of that fact.
$endgroup$
– Stella Biderman
Mar 29 '17 at 7:51
$begingroup$
I am not able to take it from here.
$endgroup$
– Shivani Goel
Mar 29 '17 at 14:34
$begingroup$
Thanks for the suggestion!! But I am not familiar with much probability theory. If possible, I want to prove it in non probabilistic way.
$endgroup$
– Shivani Goel
Mar 29 '17 at 7:24
$begingroup$
Thanks for the suggestion!! But I am not familiar with much probability theory. If possible, I want to prove it in non probabilistic way.
$endgroup$
– Shivani Goel
Mar 29 '17 at 7:24
$begingroup$
@ShivaniGoel There's a way to do that same proof without probability theory. Are you aware of a formula for the number of triangles in a graph based on the adjacency matrix?
$endgroup$
– Stella Biderman
Mar 29 '17 at 7:34
$begingroup$
@ShivaniGoel There's a way to do that same proof without probability theory. Are you aware of a formula for the number of triangles in a graph based on the adjacency matrix?
$endgroup$
– Stella Biderman
Mar 29 '17 at 7:34
$begingroup$
It is $Tr(A^3) / 6$?
$endgroup$
– Shivani Goel
Mar 29 '17 at 7:44
$begingroup$
It is $Tr(A^3) / 6$?
$endgroup$
– Shivani Goel
Mar 29 '17 at 7:44
$begingroup$
@ShivaniGoel Correct. I've amended my answer to be based off of that fact.
$endgroup$
– Stella Biderman
Mar 29 '17 at 7:51
$begingroup$
@ShivaniGoel Correct. I've amended my answer to be based off of that fact.
$endgroup$
– Stella Biderman
Mar 29 '17 at 7:51
$begingroup$
I am not able to take it from here.
$endgroup$
– Shivani Goel
Mar 29 '17 at 14:34
$begingroup$
I am not able to take it from here.
$endgroup$
– Shivani Goel
Mar 29 '17 at 14:34
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Since this exercise is in the chapter on random walks, I suspect the expected solution should also be in terms of those. It also follows some discussion on eigenvalues.
So I shall provide a solution that uses some elementary facts about the eigenvalues of adjacency matrices.
If $lambda_1, ldots, lambda_n$ are the $n$ eigenvalues of $A$ (of order $n$, the order of the graph), then the eigenvalues of $A^l$ are exactly $lambda_1^l, ldots, lambda_n^l$. Since $A^l = cJ$, whose eigenvalues are $cn, 0, ldots, 0$, we get
$lambda_1^l = cn$, $lambda_2^l = cdots = lambda_n^l = 0$.
This shows that $A$ is a matrix of rank $1$, and being symmetric, it can be written as $aa^T$, where $a$ is a (column) vector of length $n$.
Then $A^l = a(a^Ta)^{l-1}a = (a^Ta)^{l-1}A$ (since $a^Ta$ is scalar).
Thus, $A^l = cJ implies (a^Ta)^{l-1}A = cJ$, which shows that $A$ is a scalar multiple of $J$, as required.
(In fact, $a^Ta$ is nothing but the number of walks of length $1$ from the first vertex to itself, which is the number of loops on the first vertex)
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Since this exercise is in the chapter on random walks, I suspect the expected solution should also be in terms of those. It also follows some discussion on eigenvalues.
So I shall provide a solution that uses some elementary facts about the eigenvalues of adjacency matrices.
If $lambda_1, ldots, lambda_n$ are the $n$ eigenvalues of $A$ (of order $n$, the order of the graph), then the eigenvalues of $A^l$ are exactly $lambda_1^l, ldots, lambda_n^l$. Since $A^l = cJ$, whose eigenvalues are $cn, 0, ldots, 0$, we get
$lambda_1^l = cn$, $lambda_2^l = cdots = lambda_n^l = 0$.
This shows that $A$ is a matrix of rank $1$, and being symmetric, it can be written as $aa^T$, where $a$ is a (column) vector of length $n$.
Then $A^l = a(a^Ta)^{l-1}a = (a^Ta)^{l-1}A$ (since $a^Ta$ is scalar).
Thus, $A^l = cJ implies (a^Ta)^{l-1}A = cJ$, which shows that $A$ is a scalar multiple of $J$, as required.
(In fact, $a^Ta$ is nothing but the number of walks of length $1$ from the first vertex to itself, which is the number of loops on the first vertex)
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Since this exercise is in the chapter on random walks, I suspect the expected solution should also be in terms of those. It also follows some discussion on eigenvalues.
So I shall provide a solution that uses some elementary facts about the eigenvalues of adjacency matrices.
If $lambda_1, ldots, lambda_n$ are the $n$ eigenvalues of $A$ (of order $n$, the order of the graph), then the eigenvalues of $A^l$ are exactly $lambda_1^l, ldots, lambda_n^l$. Since $A^l = cJ$, whose eigenvalues are $cn, 0, ldots, 0$, we get
$lambda_1^l = cn$, $lambda_2^l = cdots = lambda_n^l = 0$.
This shows that $A$ is a matrix of rank $1$, and being symmetric, it can be written as $aa^T$, where $a$ is a (column) vector of length $n$.
Then $A^l = a(a^Ta)^{l-1}a = (a^Ta)^{l-1}A$ (since $a^Ta$ is scalar).
Thus, $A^l = cJ implies (a^Ta)^{l-1}A = cJ$, which shows that $A$ is a scalar multiple of $J$, as required.
(In fact, $a^Ta$ is nothing but the number of walks of length $1$ from the first vertex to itself, which is the number of loops on the first vertex)
$endgroup$
Since this exercise is in the chapter on random walks, I suspect the expected solution should also be in terms of those. It also follows some discussion on eigenvalues.
So I shall provide a solution that uses some elementary facts about the eigenvalues of adjacency matrices.
If $lambda_1, ldots, lambda_n$ are the $n$ eigenvalues of $A$ (of order $n$, the order of the graph), then the eigenvalues of $A^l$ are exactly $lambda_1^l, ldots, lambda_n^l$. Since $A^l = cJ$, whose eigenvalues are $cn, 0, ldots, 0$, we get
$lambda_1^l = cn$, $lambda_2^l = cdots = lambda_n^l = 0$.
This shows that $A$ is a matrix of rank $1$, and being symmetric, it can be written as $aa^T$, where $a$ is a (column) vector of length $n$.
Then $A^l = a(a^Ta)^{l-1}a = (a^Ta)^{l-1}A$ (since $a^Ta$ is scalar).
Thus, $A^l = cJ implies (a^Ta)^{l-1}A = cJ$, which shows that $A$ is a scalar multiple of $J$, as required.
(In fact, $a^Ta$ is nothing but the number of walks of length $1$ from the first vertex to itself, which is the number of loops on the first vertex)
answered Dec 17 '18 at 11:51
M. VinayM. Vinay
6,76822135
6,76822135
add a comment |
add a comment |
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$begingroup$
I don't think induction will help. One approach is to show that $A$ must have rank equal to one, and then show that if any matrix $A$ is symmetric and rank-one, then $A^k=c^kA$ for any $k$.
$endgroup$
– Chris Godsil
Mar 29 '17 at 22:18