English

Buneman's theorem for trees with exatcly n vertices

Combinatorics 2014-07-02 v1

Abstract

Let T=(T,w){\cal T}=(T,w) be a positive-weighted tree with at least nn vertices. For any i,j{1,...,n}i,j \in \{1,...,n\}, let Di,j(T)D_{i,j} ({\cal T}) be the weight of the unique path in TT connecting ii and jj. The Di,j(T)D_{i,j} ({\cal T}) are called 22-weights of T{\cal T} and, if we put in order the 22-weights, the vector which has the Di,j(T)D_{i,j} ({\cal T}) as components is called \emph{22-dissimilarity vector} of T {\cal T}. Given a family of positive real numbers {Di,j}i,j{1,...,n}\{D_{i,j}\}_{i,j \in \{1,...,n\}}, we say that a positive-weighted tree T=(T,w){\cal T}=(T,w) realizes the family if {1,...,n}V(T)\{1,...,n\} \subset V(T) and Di,j(T)=Di,jD_{i,j}({\cal T})=D_{i,j} for any i,j{1,...,n} i,j \in \{1,...,n\}. A characterization of 22-dissimilarity families of positive weighted trees is already known (see \cite{B}, \cite{SimP} or \cite{St}): the families must satisfy the well-known \emph{four-point condition}. However we can wonder when there exists a positive-weighted tree with \emph{exactly} nn vertices, 1,...,n,1,...,n, and realizing the family {Di,j}\{D_{i,j}\}. In this paper we will show that the four-point condition is necessary but no more sufficient, and so we will introduce two additional conditions (see Theorem \ref{thm:ThmAgne}).

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1407.0048,
  title  = {Buneman's theorem for trees with exatcly n vertices},
  author = {Agnese Baldisserri},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1407.0048},
  year   = {2014}
}
R2 v1 2026-06-22T04:51:53.916Z