English

The probability that a random graph is even-decomposable

Combinatorics 2024-09-26 v2

Abstract

A graph GG with an even number of edges is called even-decomposable if there is a sequence V(G)=V0V1Vk=V(G)=V_0\supset V_1\supset \dots \supset V_k=\emptyset such that for each ii, G[Vi]G[V_i] has an even number of edges and Vi Vi+1V_i\setminus~V_{i+1} is an independent set in GG. The study of this property was initiated recently by Versteegen, motivated by connections to a Ramsey-type problem and questions about graph codes posed by Alon. Resolving a conjecture of Versteegen, we prove that all but an eΩ(n2)e^{-\Omega(n^2)} proportion of the nn-vertex graphs with an even number of edges are even-decomposable. Moreover, answering one of his questions, we determine the order of magnitude of the smallest p=p(n)p=p(n) for which the probability that the random graph G(n,1p)G(n,1-p) is even-decomposable (conditional on it having an even number of edges) is at least 1/21/2. We also study the following closely related property. A graph is called even-degenerate if there is an ordering v1,v2,,vnv_1,v_2,\dots,v_n of its vertices such that each viv_i has an even number of neighbours in the set {vi+1,,vn}\{v_{i+1},\dots,v_n\}. We prove that all but an eΩ(n)e^{-\Omega(n)} proportion of the nn-vertex graphs with an even number of edges are even-degenerate, which is tight up to the implied constant.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2409.11152,
  title  = {The probability that a random graph is even-decomposable},
  author = {Oliver Janzer and Fredy Yip},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2409.11152},
  year   = {2024}
}

Comments

23 pages

R2 v1 2026-06-28T18:47:46.742Z