Distinguishing numbers for graphs and groups

dc.creatorTymoczko, Julianna S.
dc.date2004-06-26
dc.date2005-03-17
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T05:09:43Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T05:09:43Z
dc.descriptionA graph G is distinguished if its vertices are labelled by a map ϕ: V(G) \longrightarrow {1,2,...,k} so that no graph automorphism preserves ϕ. The distinguishing number of G is the minimum number k necessary for ϕto distinguish the graph. It is one measure of the complexity of the graph. We extend these definitions to an arbitrary group action of G on a set X. A labelling ϕ: X \longrightarrow {1,2,...,k} is distinguishing if no nontrivial element of G preserves ϕexcept those in the stabilizer of X. The distinguishing number of the group action on X is the minimum k needed for ϕto distinguish the group action. We show that distinguishing group actions is a more general problem than distinguishing graphs. We completely characterize actions of the symmetric group S_n on a set with distinguishing number n.
dc.description13 pages; final version
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/math/0406542
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/math/0406542
dc.identifierElectronic Journal of Combinatorics, 11 (1) (2004), #R63
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/71684
dc.subjectCombinatorics
dc.subjectGroup Theory
dc.subject05C15, 05C25, 20D60
dc.titleDistinguishing numbers for graphs and groups
dc.typetext

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