GRAPH THEORY


Meaning of GRAPH THEORY in English

Mathematical theory of networks.

A graph consists of nodes (also called points or vertices) and edges (lines) connecting certain pairs of nodes. An edge that connects a node to itself is called a loop. In 1735 Leonhard Euler published an analysis of an old puzzle concerning the possibility of crossing every one of seven bridges (no bridge twice) that span a forked river flowing past an island. Euler's proof that no such path exists and his generalization of the problem to all possible networks are now recognized as the origin of both graph theory and topology .

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia.      Краткая энциклопедия Британика.