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Section 16.2 Basics

trivial path
a path that consists of a single vertex
cycle
a closed path
proper cycle
a nontrivial cycle that is also a trail

Note 16.2.1.

If \(G\) contains vertices \(v,v'\) and edge \(e = \{v,v'\}\text{,}\) then \(v,e,v',e,v\) is a nontrivial cycle which is not proper.
acyclic graph
contains no proper cycles
forest
synonym for acyclic graph
tree
a connected, acyclic graph

Example 16.2.2. A forest of trees.

The graph in Figure 16.2.3 is acyclic. Each of its connected components is a tree.
A nonconnected acyclic graph.
Figure 16.2.3. A nonconnected acyclic graph.

Example 16.2.4. Decision trees are trees.

In Worked Example 15.2.5, we attempted to determine all possible trails from one node to another in a given graph. The graph in Figure 15.2.6 that we used to explore possible trails in the given graph is an example of a decision tree — at each node we “branched out” to new possibilities in continuing the trail. As the name suggested, the connected graph we ended up with is a tree.