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Paper:

TR14-079 | 11th June 2014 15:58

Counting the Number of Perfect Matchings in $K_5$-free Graphs

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TR14-079
Authors: Simon Straub, Thomas Thierauf, Fabian Wagner
Publication: 11th June 2014 16:29
Downloads: 5478
Keywords: 


Abstract:

Counting the number of perfect matchings in arbitrary graphs is a $\#$P-complete problem. However, for some restricted classes of graphs the problem can be solved efficiently. In the case of planar graphs, and even for $K_{3,3}$-free graphs, Vazirani showed that it is in NC$^2$. The technique there is to compute a Pfaffian orientation of a graph.

In the case of $K_5$-free graphs, this technique will not work because some $K_5$-free graphs do not have a Pfaffian orientation. We circumvent this problem and show that the number of perfect matchings in $K_5$-free graphs can be computed in polynomial time. We also parallelize the sequential algorithm and show that the problem is in TC$^2$.



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