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Linear Extensions of Partially Ordered Sets

Let \PXP be a partially ordered set. A linear order L on X is called a linear extension (also, a topological sort) of P, if x\lt y in L whenever x\lt y in P.

Linear Extensions of Partially Ordered Sets

Let \(\PXP\) be a partially ordered set. A linear order \(L\) on \(X\) is called a linear extension (also, a topological sort) of \(P\), if \(x\lt y\) in \(L\) whenever \(x\lt y\) in \(P\). For example, the table displayed in shows that our familiar example \(\bfP_3\) has11 linear extensions.

The classical sorting problem studied in all elementary computer science courses is to determine an unknown linear order \(L\) of a set \(X\) by asking a series of questions of the form: Is \(x\lt y\) in \(L\)? All the well known sorting algorithms (bubble sort, merge sort, quick sort, ) proceed in this manner.

Here is an important special case: determine an unknown linear extension \(L\) of a poset \(\bfP\) by asking a series of questions of the form: Is \(x \lt y\) in \(L\)?

Ugbu a ị Enweghị kalkulata na-ewepụ nke a, ma ọ bụ na ọ nwere ike ijikwa ya. Jiri otu n'okpuru, mọọbụ pịa nke gị.

Kwụsị ọrụ gị

Akwụkwọ ndebanye n'efu na-egbakwunye ntọala n'ụdị ọmụmụ ihe ọbụla, ndepụta nke ihe ị ga-eme, nsogbu ị ga-ewepụ n'otu ebe, na onye nkụzi ị ga-ajụ banyere ihuakwụkwọ a. Akwụkwọ ndepụta ihe bụ nke ọbụla mepere maka onye ọbụla, ọbụla ma ọ bụ na ọ bụghị.

Akaụntụ Nbanye

Aịkọn ndị ahụ ejirila ebe a

Tinye ọbụla simbụl maka nkọwa zuru ezu, inyogo, na ihe ọbụla ọbụla na-egosi.

Ajụjụ ndị mmadụ jụrụ

Permutation or combination?

Ask whether order matters. A lock code is a permutation (order matters); a hand of cards is a combination (it does not).

What is a graph in this sense?

Dots (vertices) joined by lines (edges), not a plot. Road maps, social networks and molecules are graphs; questions like "is there a route" and "how few colours" are graph theory.

Oge nke ihuakwụkwọ a bụ nke a gbanwere site na Keller & Trotter, Applied Combinatorics (CC BY-SA 4.0). E kọwaara ya na ebe a; nsogbu bụ nke anyị.

Oge Combinatorics & Graph Theory

The counting principlesPigeonhole principle and inclusion, exclusionBinomial coefficients and Pascal's triangleRecurrences and generating functionsGraphs: vertices, edges, degreesPaths, cycles, trees, Euler and HamiltonColouring and planar graphs