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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 \(L\)?

Manje Akukho kalkuli yokuxazulula le nto, kodwa amaphuzu ayo anga kalkuli. Zama enye ngezansi, noma ubhale yakho.

Qhubeka usebenza

I-akhawunti emahhala ifaka iziphawulo kulesifundo ngasinye, irekhodi lokuthi yini oqedile, izinkinga zakho ezixazululiwe endaweni eyodwa, nodokotela owaziyo ongabuza mayelana nalekhasi. I-matematics ivulekile kubo bonke, noma ngabe babhalise noma cha.

Bhala Ngena

Amaphawu asetshenziswa lapha

Chofoza noma yiluphi uphawu lwesibonakaliso ukuze uthole ukuchaza okuphelele, isithombe, kanye nokuthi iyiphi inhlamvu ekhona ekhuluma ngaso.

Imibuzo abantu bebuza

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.

Amangxenye wale khasi aguqulwe kusuka Keller & Trotter, Applied Combinatorics (CC BY-SA 4.0). I-condensed futhi iphinde icaciswe lapha; amaphutha awusizo.

Okuningi 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