Linear-Time Algorithms for Maximum-Weight Induced Matchings and Minimum Chain Covers in Convex Bipartite Graphs

A bipartite graph $$G=(U,V,E)$$ G = ( U , V , E ) is convex if the vertices in V can be linearly ordered such that for each vertex $$u\in U$$ u ∈ U , the neighbors of u are consecutive in the ordering of V. An induced matchingH of G is a matching for which no edge of E connects endpoints of two different edges of H. We show that in a convex bipartite graph with n vertices and mweighted edges, an induced matching of maximum total weight can be computed in $$O(n+m)$$ O ( n + m ) time. An unweighted convex bipartite graph has a representation of size O(n) that records for each vertex $$u\in U$$ u ∈ U the first and last neighbor in the ordering of V. Given such a compact representation, we compute an induced matching of maximum cardinality in O(n) time. In convex bipartite graphs, maximum-cardinality induced matchings are dual to minimum chain covers. A chain cover is a covering of the edge set by chain subgraphs, that is, subgraphs that do not contain induced matchings of more than one edge. Given a compact representation, we compute a representation of a minimum chain cover in O(n) time. If no compact representation is given, the cover can be computed in $$O(n+m)$$ O ( n + m ) time. All of our algorithms achieve optimal linear running time for the respective problem and model, and they improve and generalize the previous results in several ways: The best algorithms for the unweighted problem versions had a running time of $$O(n^2)$$ O ( n 2 ) (Brandstädt et al. in Theor. Comput. Sci. 381(1–3):260–265, 2007. 10.1016/j.tcs.2007.04.006). The weighted case has not been considered before.

Induced Matchings and the v-Number of Graded Ideals

We give a formula for the v-number of a graded ideal that can be used to compute this number. Then, we show that for the edge ideal I(G) of a graph G, the induced matching number of G is an upper bound for the v-number of I(G) when G is very well-covered, or G has a simplicial partition, or G is well-covered connected and contains neither four, nor five cycles. In all these cases, the v-number of I(G) is a lower bound for the regularity of the edge ring of G. We classify when the induced matching number of G is an upper bound for the v-number of I(G) when G is a cycle and classify when all vertices of a graph are shedding vertices to gain insight into the family of W2-graphs.

Approximation algorithms for maximum weight k-coverings of graphs by packings

Let [Formula: see text] be a family of graphs and let [Formula: see text] be a set of connected graphs, each with at most [Formula: see text] vertices, [Formula: see text] fixed. A [Formula: see text]-packing of a graph GA is a vertex induced subgraph of GA with every connected component isomorphic to a member of [Formula: see text]. A maximum weight [Formula: see text]-covering of a graph GA by [Formula: see text]-packings, is a maximum weight subgraph of GA exactly covered by [Formula: see text] vertex disjoint [Formula: see text]-packings. For a graph [Formula: see text] let [Formula: see text](GA) be a graph, every vertex [Formula: see text] of which corresponds to a vertex subgraph [Formula: see text] of GA isomorphic to a member of [Formula: see text], two vertices [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text](GA) being adjacent if and only if [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] have common vertices or interconnecting edges. The closed neighborhoods containment graph [Formula: see text] of a graph [Formula: see text], is the graph with vertex set [Formula: see text] and edges directed from vertices [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text] if and only if they are adjacent in GA and the closed neighborhood of [Formula: see text] is contained in the closed neighborhood of [Formula: see text]. A graph [Formula: see text] is a [Formula: see text] reduced graph if it can be obtained from a graph [Formula: see text] by deleting the edges of a transitive subgraph [Formula: see text] of CNCG(GA). We describe 1.582-approximation algorithms for maximum weight [Formula: see text]-coverings by [Formula: see text]-packings of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] reduced graphs when [Formula: see text] is vertex hereditary, has an algorithm for maximum weight independent set and [Formula: see text]. These algorithms can be applied to families of interval filament, subtree filament, weakly chordal, AT-free and circle graphs, to find 1.582 approximate maximum weight [Formula: see text]-coverings by vertex disjoint induced matchings, dissociation sets, forests whose subtrees have at most [Formula: see text] vertices, etc.