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Spanning Tree

A spanning tree is a subset of a connected, undirected graph that covers all vertices with the minimum number of edges and contains no cycles. Each connected graph can have multiple spanning trees, and the properties include having n-1 edges and being minimally connected. Applications of spanning trees include civil network planning and computer network routing, with minimum spanning trees being a specific type that minimizes weight in weighted graphs.

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12 views

Spanning Tree

A spanning tree is a subset of a connected, undirected graph that covers all vertices with the minimum number of edges and contains no cycles. Each connected graph can have multiple spanning trees, and the properties include having n-1 edges and being minimally connected. Applications of spanning trees include civil network planning and computer network routing, with minimum spanning trees being a specific type that minimizes weight in weighted graphs.

Uploaded by

6yzdahmed
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Spanning Tree

What is Spanning Tree?


A spanning tree is a subset of Graph G, which has all the vertices covered with
minimum possible number of edges. Hence, a spanning tree does not have cycles
and it cannot be disconnected..

By this definition, we can draw a conclusion that every connected and undirected
Graph G has at least one spanning tree. A disconnected graph does not have any
spanning tree, as it cannot be spanned to all its vertices.

We found three spanning trees off one complete graph. A complete undirected graph
can have maximum nn-2 number of spanning trees, where n is the number of
nodes. In the above addressed example, n is 3, hence 33−2 = 3 spanning trees are
possible.

General Properties of Spanning Tree


We now understand that one graph can have more than one spanning tree. Following
are a few properties of the spanning tree connected to graph G −

A connected graph G can have more than one spanning tree.


All possible spanning trees of graph G, have the same number of edges and
vertices.

The spanning tree does not have any cycle (loops).


Removing one edge from the spanning tree will make the graph disconnected,
i.e. the spanning tree is minimally connected.

Adding one edge to the spanning tree will create a circuit or loop, i.e. the
spanning tree is maximally acyclic.

Mathematical Properties of Spanning Tree

Spanning tree has n-1 edges, where n is the number of nodes (vertices).
From a complete graph, by removing maximum e - n + 1 edges, we can
construct a spanning tree.

A complete graph can have maximum nn-2 number of spanning trees.

Thus, we can conclude that spanning trees are a subset of connected Graph G and
disconnected graphs do not have spanning tree.

Application of Spanning Tree


Spanning tree is basically used to find a minimum path to connect all nodes in a
graph. Common application of spanning trees are −

Civil Network Planning

Computer Network Routing Protocol

Cluster Analysis

Let us understand this through a small example. Consider, city network as a huge
graph and now plans to deploy telephone lines in such a way that in minimum lines
we can connect to all city nodes. This is where the spanning tree comes into picture.

Minimum Spanning Tree (MST)


In a weighted graph, a minimum spanning tree is a spanning tree that has minimum
weight than all other spanning trees of the same graph. In real-world situations, this
weight can be measured as distance, congestion, traffic load or any arbitrary value
denoted to the edges.
Minimum Spanning-Tree Algorithm
We shall learn about two most important spanning tree algorithms here −

Kruskal's Algorithm
Prim's Algorithm

These two algorithms are Greedy algorithms.

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