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Minimum degree, leaf number and traceability. (English) Zbl 1289.05261
Summary: Let $$G$$ be a finite connected graph with minimum degree $$\delta$$. The leaf number $$L(G)$$ of $$G$$ is defined as the maximum number of leaf vertices contained in a spanning tree of $$G$$. We prove that if $$\delta \geq \frac {1}{2}(L(G)+1)$$, then $$G$$ is 2-connected. Further, we deduce, for graphs of girth greater than 4, that if $$\delta \geq \smash {\frac {1}{2}}(L(G)+1)$$, then $$G$$ contains a spanning path. This provides a partial solution to a conjecture of the computer program Graffiti.pc [E. DeLaViña and B. Waller, Electron. J. Comb. 15, No. 1, R33, 16 p. (2008; Zbl 1181.05052)]. For $$G$$ claw-free, we show that if $$\delta \geq \frac {1}{2}(L(G)+1)$$, then $$G$$ is Hamiltonian. This again confirms, and even improves, the conjecture of Graffiti.pc for this class of graphs.

MSC:
 05C45 Eulerian and Hamiltonian graphs
Zbl 1181.05052
Graffiti.pc
Full Text:
References:
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