Elsevier

Theoretical Computer Science

Volume 290, Issue 3, 3 January 2003, Pages 1897-1913
Theoretical Computer Science

Greedy algorithms, H-colourings and a complexity-theoretic dichotomy

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3975(02)00329-8Get rights and content
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Abstract

Let H be a fixed undirected graph. An H-colouring of an undirected graph G is a homomorphism from G to H. If the vertices of G are partially ordered then there is a generic non-deterministic greedy algorithm which computes all lexicographically first maximal H-colourable subgraphs of G. We show that the complexity of deciding whether a given vertex of G is in a lexicographically first maximal H-colourable subgraph of G is NP-complete, if H is bipartite, and Σ2p-complete, if H is non-bipartite. This result complements Hell and Nešetřil's seminal dichotomy result that the standard H-colouring problem is in P, if H is bipartite, and NP-complete, if H is non-bipartite. Our proofs use the basic techniques established by Hell and Nešetřil, combinatorially adapted to our scenario.

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