Introduction to Graphs

Graph is a non-linear data structure. It contains a set of points known as nodes (or vertices) and a

set of links known as edges (or Arcs). Here edges are used to connect the vertices. A graph is

defined as follows...

Graph is a collection of vertices and arcs in which vertices are connected with arcs

Graph is a collection of nodes and edges in which nodes are connected with edges

Generally, a graph G is represented as G = ( V , E ), where V is set of vertices and E is set of

edges.

Example

The following is a graph with 5 vertices and 6 edges.

This graph G can be defined as G = ( V , E )

Where V = {A,B,C,D,E} and E = {(A,B),(A,C)(A,D),(B,D),(C,D),(B,E),(E,D)}.

Graph Terminology

We use the following terms in graph data structure...

Vertex
Individual data element of a graph is called as Vertex. Vertex is also known as node. In above

example graph, A, B, C, D & E are known as vertices.

Edge

An edge is a connecting link between two vertices. Edge is also known as Arc. An edge is

represented as (startingVertex, endingVertex). For example, in above graph the link between

vertices A and B is represented as (A,B). In above example graph, there are 7 edges (i.e., (A,B),

(A,C), (A,D), (B,D), (B,E), (C,D), (D,E)).

Edges are three types.

1. Undirected Edge - An undirected egde is a bidirectional edge. If there is undirected edge

between vertices A and B then edge (A , B) is equal to edge (B , A).

2. Directed Edge - A directed egde is a unidirectional edge. If there is directed edge between

vertices A and B then edge (A , B) is not equal to edge (B , A).

3. Weighted Edge - A weighted egde is a edge with value (cost) on it.

Undirected Graph

A graph with only undirected edges is said to be undirected graph.

Directed Graph

A graph with only directed edges is said to be directed graph.

Mixed Graph

A graph with both undirected and directed edges is said to be mixed graph.

End vertices or Endpoints

The two vertices joined by edge are called end vertices (or endpoints) of that edge.
Origin

If a edge is directed, its first endpoint is said to be the origin of it.

Destination

If a edge is directed, its first endpoint is said to be the origin of it and the other endpoint is said to be

the destination of that edge.

Adjacent

If there is an edge between vertices A and B then both A and B are said to be adjacent. In other

words, vertices A and B are said to be adjacent if there is an edge between them.

Incident

Edge is said to be incident on a vertex if the vertex is one of the endpoints of that edge.

Outgoing Edge

A directed edge is said to be outgoing edge on its origin vertex.

Incoming Edge

A directed edge is said to be incoming edge on its destination vertex.

Degree

Total number of edges connected to a vertex is said to be degree of that vertex.

Indegree

Total number of incoming edges connected to a vertex is said to be indegree of that vertex.

Outdegree

Total number of outgoing edges connected to a vertex is said to be outdegree of that vertex.
Parallel edges or Multiple edges

If there are two undirected edges with same end vertices and two directed edges with same origin

and destination, such edges are called parallel edges or multiple edges.

Self-loop

Edge (undirected or directed) is a self-loop if its two endpoints coincide with each other.

Simple Graph

A graph is said to be simple if there are no parallel and self-loop edges.

Path

A path is a sequence of alternate vertices and edges that starts at a vertex and ends at other vertex

such that each edge is incident to its predecessor and successor vertex.

Graph Representations
Graph data structure is represented using following representations...

1. Adjacency Matrix
2. Incidence Matrix
3. Adjacency List

Adjacency Matrix
In this representation, the graph is represented using a matrix of size total
number of vertices by a total number of vertices. That means a graph with 4
vertices is represented using a matrix of size 4X4. In this matrix, both rows and
columns represent vertices. This matrix is filled with either 1 or 0. Here, 1
represents that there is an edge from row vertex to column vertex and 0
represents that there is no edge from row vertex to column vertex.

For example, consider the following undirected graph representation...

Directed graph representation...

Incidence Matrix
In this representation, the graph is represented using a matrix of size total
number of vertices by a total number of edges. That means graph with 4 vertices
and 6 edges is represented using a matrix of size 4X6. In this matrix, rows
represent vertices and columns represents edges. This matrix is filled with 0 or 1
or -1. Here, 0 represents that the row edge is not connected to column vertex, 1
represents that the row edge is connected as the outgoing edge to column vertex
and -1 represents that the row edge is connected as the incoming edge to
column vertex.

For example, consider the following directed graph representation...

Adjacency List
In this representation, every vertex of a graph contains list of its adjacent
vertices.

For example, consider the following directed graph representation implemented

using linked list...
This representation can also be implemented using an array as follows..

Graph Traversal - DFS

Graph traversal is a technique used for a searching vertex in a graph. The graph traversal is also used to

decide the order of vertices is visited in the search process. A graph traversal finds the edges to be used in the

search process without creating loops. That means using graph traversal we visit all the vertices of the graph

without getting into looping path.

There are two graph traversal techniques and they are as follows...

1. DFS (Depth First Search)

2. BFS (Breadth First Search)

DFS (Depth First Search)

DFS traversal of a graph produces a spanning tree as final result. Spanning Tree is a graph without loops.

We use Stack data structure with maximum size of total number of vertices in the graph to implement DFS

traversal.

We use the following steps to implement DFS traversal...

 Step 1 - Define a Stack of size total number of vertices in the graph.

 Step 2 - Select any vertex as starting point for traversal. Visit that vertex and push it on to the Stack.
  Step 3 - Visit any one of the non-visited adjacent vertices of a vertex which is at the top of stack and

push it on to the stack.

 Step 4 - Repeat step 3 until there is no new vertex to be visited from the vertex which is at the top of

the stack.

 Step 5 - When there is no new vertex to visit then use back tracking and pop one vertex from the

stack.

 Step 6 - Repeat steps 3, 4 and 5 until stack becomes Empty.

 Step 7 - When stack becomes Empty, then produce final spanning tree by removing unused edges

from the graph

Back tracking is coming back to the vertex from which we reached the current vertex.

Example
 Graph Traversal - BFS
Graph traversal is a technique used for searching a vertex in a graph. The graph traversal is also used to

decide the order of vertices is visited in the search process. A graph traversal finds the edges to be used in the

search process without creating loops. That means using graph traversal we visit all the vertices of the graph

without getting into looping path.

There are two graph traversal techniques and they are as follows...

1. DFS (Depth First Search)

2. BFS (Breadth First Search)

BFS (Breadth First Search)

BFS traversal of a graph produces a spanning tree as final result. Spanning Tree is a graph without loops.

We use Queue data structure with maximum size of total number of vertices in the graph to implement BFS

traversal.

We use the following steps to implement BFS traversal...

 Step 1 - Define a Queue of size total number of vertices in the graph.

 Step 2 - Select any vertex as starting point for traversal. Visit that vertex and insert it into the Queue.

 Step 3 - Visit all the non-visited adjacent vertices of the vertex which is at front of the Queue and

insert them into the Queue.

 Step 4 - When there is no new vertex to be visited from the vertex which is at front of the Queue then

delete that vertex.

 Step 5 - Repeat steps 3 and 4 until queue becomes empty.

 Step 6 - When queue becomes empty, then produce final spanning tree by removing unused edges

from the graph

Example