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Path

A path joining two vertices $ P_i $ and $ P_j $ in a given digraph is a sequence of distinct points (vertices) $P_i, P_{a_1}, P_{a_2}, \dots, P_{a_r}, P_j$ and directed edges $P_i \rightarrow P_{a_1}
,  P_{a_1} \rightarrow P_{a_2}, \cdots, P_{a_{r-1}} \rightarrow P_{a_r}  $ and $\
P_{a_r}
\rightarrow P_j$

Example: In the following digraph there more than one path from $ P_1 $ to $ P_3 $. One of them consists of only three points $P_1, P_2, P_3$. A different path from $ P_1 $ to $ P_3 $ consists of the points $ P_1, P_2, P_4, p_5$ and $ P_3 $.

\includegraphics[width=4in]{GT_fig_5.eps}

Figure 5

The path which contains the points $P_1, P_2, P_3, P_4 $ and $ P_5$ with edges $P_1 \rightarrow P_2$, $P_2 \rightarrow P_4$, $P_4
\rightarrow P_5 \rightarrow P_3$ connects $ P_1 $ to $ P_3 $.

\includegraphics[width=4in]{GT_fig_6.eps}

Figure 6

Also $P_1, P_2, P_3$ with edges $P_1 \rightarrow P_2$ and $P_2 \rightarrow P_3$ is path from $ P_1 $ to $ P_3 $. which is represented in the following figure:

\includegraphics[width=4in]{GT_fig_7.eps}

Figure 7



Ali A. Daddel 2000-09-17