Math 2.0

Combinatorics Definition

Graph enumeration

Builds on GraphGraph isomorphism

Definition

Let ๐’ซ\mathcal{P} be a class of finite simple graphs that is closed under isomorphism. For an integer nโ‰ฅ1n \ge 1:

  1. The labelled count โ„“๐’ซ(n)\ell_{\mathcal{P}}(n) is the number of graphs in ๐’ซ\mathcal{P} with vertex set {1,โ€ฆ,n}\set{1, \ldots, n}.
  2. The unlabelled count u๐’ซ(n)u_{\mathcal{P}}(n) is the number of isomorphism classes of graphs in ๐’ซ\mathcal{P} with nn vertices.

Graph enumeration is the study of the functions โ„“๐’ซ\ell_{\mathcal{P}} and u๐’ซu_{\mathcal{P}}: exact formulas, generating functions and asymptotic behaviour as nโ†’โˆžn \to \infty.

Remarks

Example: for the class of all graphs, โ„“(n)=2(n2)\ell(n) = 2^{\binom{n}{2}}, since each of the (n2)\binom{n}{2} pairs is an edge or not. For n=3n = 3 this gives 88, while u(3)=4u(3) = 4, one class for each number of edges 0,1,2,30, 1, 2, 3.

Non-example: the class of graphs in which 11 and 22 are adjacent is not closed under isomorphism, so it has no unlabelled count.

Always u๐’ซ(n)โ‰คโ„“๐’ซ(n)โ‰คn!โ€‰u๐’ซ(n)u_{\mathcal{P}}(n) \le \ell_{\mathcal{P}}(n) \le n! \, u_{\mathcal{P}}(n), because an isomorphism class contains at most n!n! graphs on {1,โ€ฆ,n}\set{1, \ldots, n}. For all graphs, u(n)u(n) is asymptotic to 2(n2)/n!2^{\binom{n}{2}} / n!, because almost all graphs have no nontrivial automorphism.

Reading path

To understand this page from the ground up, read these 3 pages in order. The foundations come first.

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  1. Graph concept
  2. Graph isomorphism concept
  3. Graph enumeration definition

Further reading

  1. Web https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graph_enumeration
About this page
Tag610F4NS6GD
URIm2://610F4NS6GD
Kinddefinition
WritingW0 stub
MSC05C30, 05A16
DefinesGraph enumeration
UsesGraph, Graph isomorphism
Changed2 November 2026

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