There are 45 NRICH Mathematical resources connected to Networks/graph theory, you may find related items under Decision mathematics and combinatorics.
Broad Topics > Decision mathematics and combinatorics > Networks/graph theory
Given probabilities of taking paths in a graph from each node, use matrix multiplication to find the probability of going from one vertex to another in 2 stages, or 3, or 4 or even 100.
Read about the problem that tickled Euler's curiosity and led to a new branch of mathematics!
Look for the common features in these graphs. Which graphs belong together?
Explore creating 'factors and multiples' graphs such that no lines joining the numbers cross
Think about the mathematics of round robin scheduling.
Imagine you had to plan the tour for the Olympic Torch. Is there an efficient way of choosing the shortest possible route?
How many different colours would be needed to colour these different patterns on a torus?
This article explains the concepts involved in scientific mathematical computing. It will be very useful and interesting to anyone interested in computer programming or mathematics.
The Four Colour Conjecture was first stated just over 150 years ago, and finally proved conclusively in 1976. It is an outstanding example of how old ideas can be combined with new discoveries. prove a mathematical theorem.
The tangles created by the twists and turns of the Conway rope trick are surprisingly symmetrical. Here's why!
A personal investigation of Conway's Rational Tangles. What were the interesting questions that needed to be asked, and where did they lead?
Some simple ideas about graph theory with a discussion of a proof of Euler's formula relating the numbers of vertces, edges and faces of a graph.
This article looks at the importance in mathematics of representing places and spaces mathematics. Many famous mathematicians have spent time working on problems that involve moving and mapping things.
Eulerian and Hamiltonian circuits are defined with some simple examples and a couple of puzzles to illustrate Hamiltonian circuits.
This article invites you to get familiar with a strategic game called "sprouts". The game is simple enough for younger children to understand, and has also provided experienced mathematicians with significant food for thought.
This article for teachers discusses examples of problems in which there is no obvious method but in which children can be encouraged to think deeply about the context and extend their ability to think mathematically, especially geometrically.
Given the graph of a supply network and the maximum capacity for flow in each section find the maximum flow across the network.
How many tours visit each vertex of a cube once and only once? How many return to the starting point?
Investigate how networks can be used to solve a problem for the 18th Century inhabitants of Konigsberg.
If you can copy a network without lifting your pen off the paper and without drawing any line twice, then it is traversable. Decide which of these diagrams are traversable.
A Hamiltonian circuit is a continuous path in a graph that passes through each of the vertices exactly once and returns to the start. How many Hamiltonian circuits can you find in these graphs?
I start my journey in Rio de Janeiro and visit all the cities as Hamilton described, passing through Canberra before Madrid, and then returning to Rio. What route could I have taken?
Can you cross each of the seven bridges that join the north and south of the river to the two islands, once and once only, without retracing your steps?
Prove that you cannot form a Magic W with a total of 12 or less or with a with a total of 18 or more.
The game of go has a simple mechanism. This discussion of the principle of two eyes in go has shown that the game does not depend on equally clear-cut concepts.
This article explains the use of the idea of connectedness in networks, in two different ways, to bring into focus the basics of the game of Go, namely capture and territory.
Here is a proof of Euler's formula in the plane and on a sphere together with projects to explore cases of the formula for a polygon with holes, for the torus and other solids with holes and the relationship between Euler's formula and angle deficiency of polyhedra.
Toni Beardon has chosen this article introducing a rich area for practical exploration and discovery in 3D geometry
An account of how mathematics is used in computer games including geometry, vectors, transformations, 3D graphics, graph theory and simulations.
The reader is invited to investigate changes (or permutations) in the ringing of church bells, illustrated by braid diagrams showing the order in which the bells are rung.
This is the second of two articles and discusses problems relating to the curvature of space, shortest distances on surfaces, triangulations of surfaces and representation by graphs.
Without taking your pencil off the paper or going over a line or passing through one of the points twice, can you follow each of the networks?
The graph represents a salesman’s area of activity with the shops that the salesman must visit each day. What route around the shops has the minimum total distance?
In how many distinct ways can six islands be joined by bridges so that each island can be reached from every other island...
Investigate the number of paths you can take from one vertex to another in these 3D shapes. Is it possible to take an odd number and an even number of paths to the same vertex?
Find the point whose sum of distances from the vertices (corners) of a given triangle is a minimum.
Show there are exactly 12 magic labellings of the Magic W using the numbers 1 to 9. Prove that for every labelling with a magic total T there is a corresponding labelling with a magic total 30-T.
The knight's move on a chess board is 2 steps in one direction and one step in the other direction. Prove that a knight cannot visit every square on the board once and only (a tour) on a 2 by n board for any value of n. How many ways can a knight do this on a 3 by 4 board?
Find all the ways of placing the numbers 1 to 9 on a W shape, with 3 numbers on each leg, so that each set of 3 numbers has the same total.
in how many ways can you place the numbers 1, 2, 3 … 9 in the nine regions of the Olympic Emblem (5 overlapping circles) so that the amount in each ring is the same?
Label the joints and legs of these graph theory caterpillars so that the vertex sums are all equal.
Explore some of the different types of network, and prove a result about network trees.
Given the nets of 4 cubes with the faces coloured in 4 colours, build a tower so that on each vertical wall no colour is repeated, that is all 4 colours appear.