Ladder graph

Ladder graph

The ladder graph L8.
Vertices 2n
Edges n+2(n-1)
Chromatic number 2
Chromatic index 3 for n>2
2 for n=2
1 for n=1
Properties Unit distance
Hamiltonian
Planar
Bipartite
Notation Ln

In the mathematical field of graph theory, the ladder graph Ln is a planar undirected graph with 2n vertices and n+2(n-1) edges.[1]

The ladder graph can be obtained as the Cartesian product of two path graphs, one of which has only one edge: Ln,1 = Pn × P1.[2][3] Adding two more crossed edges connecting the four degree-two vertices of a ladder graph produces a cubic graph, the Möbius ladder.

By construction, the ladder graph Ln is isomorphic to the grid graph G2,n and looks like a ladder with n rungs. It is Hamiltonian with girth 4 (if n>1) and chromatic index 3 (if n>2).

The chromatic number of the ladder graph is 2 and its chromatic polynomial is (x-1)x(x^2-3x+3)^{(n-1)}.

Gallery

The ladder graphs L1, L2, L3, L4 and L5.

References

  1. Weisstein, Eric W., "Ladder Graph", MathWorld.
  2. Hosoya, H. and Harary, F. "On the Matching Properties of Three Fence Graphs." J. Math. Chem. 12, 211-218, 1993.
  3. Noy, M. and Ribó, A. "Recursively Constructible Families of Graphs." Adv. Appl. Math. 32, 350-363, 2004.