Digraphs: Theory, Algorithms and Applications
Digraphs: Theory, Algorithms and Applications
A generalization of Sperner's theorem and an application to graph orientations
Discrete Applied Mathematics
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The average distance of a graph (strong digraph) G, denoted by µ(G) is the average, among the distances between all pairs (ordered pairs) of vertices of G. If G is a 2-edge-connected graph, then µ→min(G) is the minimum average distance taken over all strong orientations of G. A lower bound for µ→min(G) in terms of the order, size, girth and average distance of G is established and shown to be sharp for several complete multipartite graphs. It is shown that there is no upper bound for µ→min(G) in terms of µ(G). However, if every edge of G lies on 3-cycle, then it is shown that µ→min(G) ≤ 7/4 µ(G). This bound is improved for maximal planar graphs to 5/3 µ(G) and even further to 3/2 µ(G) for eulerian maximal planar graphs and for outerplanar graphs with the property that every edge lies on 3-cycle. In the last case the bound is shown to be sharp.