[sci.math] References on graph distance properties

casais@uni2a.unige.ch (10/02/90)

        I have already sent a message asking for information on this
    problem last week, but I have not received any useful answer so far. 
    So, here it is again:

          Is there a mathematical (statistical) characterization
          of the length and number of paths between the nodes of 
          a directed graph without circuits ? 

        I would expect only very broad limits in the general case, but
    I think there are more precise formulas (depending on the number of
    vertices, edges, etc) for more restricted categories of graphs, like
    trees, lattices, etc...

        I need references to such results in order to analyze algorithms
    working on graph data structures.  The CS literature is full of methods
    for finding the shortest or even all paths in graphs, but there is
    apparently nothing describing the expected length of such paths, or
    the average number of paths between two nodes.  I would very much
    appreciate any help for finding references on this topic in the graph
    theory literature.  I will post the results to the net (other people
    are interested in them too).

        Sorry if this looks like some trivial question for real mathematicians,
    but I still hold that naive opinion that newsgroups are not just vectors 
    for social entertainment...

        Thanks in advance.


Eduardo Casais

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