The "Bridges of Konigsberg" problem started graph theory: "is it possible to set off and walk around Konigsberg crossing each bridge exactly once?" (p. 116 of your reading on graphs):
Try it yourself. Here is the problem abstracted:
"It being customary among the townsmen, after some hours in the
Gasthaus [on the island], to attempt to walk the bridges, many have
returned for more refreshment claiming success. However, none have been
able to repeat the feat by the light of day."
- Solved by Euler
(1735), the beginning of graph theory.
- Graphs are made up of vertices (points) and edges
that connect the vertices. More formally, a graph is
- A collection of points, called vertices.
- A collection of edges, each of
which connects two vertices.
- The degree of a vertex is the number of edges
coming into it.
- Euler's solution:
- Konigsberg: To be traversable, there must be at
most two vertices of odd degree.
- Euler noticed the so-called "hand-shaking
theorem": in any graph, the number of
vertices with odd degree must be even.
- An alternative
solution -- thanks to spiked math