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http://dx.doi.org/10.9708/jksci.2013.18.5.113

The Four Color Algorithm  

Lee, Sang-Un (Dept. of Multimedia Eng., Gangneung-Wonju National University)
Publication Information
Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information / v.18, no.5, 2013 , pp. 113-120 More about this Journal
Abstract
This paper proposes an algorithm that proves an NP-complete 4-color theorem by employing a linear time complexity where $O(n)$. The proposed algorithm accurately halves the vertex set V of the graph $G=(V_1,E_1)$ into the Maximum Independent Set (MIS) $\bar{C_1}$ and the Minimum Vertex Cover Set $C_1$. It then assigns the first color to $\bar{C_1}$ and the second to $\bar{C_2}$, which, along with $C_2$, is halved from the connected graph $G=(V_2,E_2)$, a reduced set of the remaining vertices. Subsequently, the third color is assigned to $\bar{C_3}$, which, along with $C_3$, is halved from the connected graph $G=(V_3,E_3)$, a further reduced set of the remaining vertices. Lastly, denoting $C_3$ as $\bar{C_4}$, the algorithm assigns the forth color to $\bar{C_4}$. The algorithm has successfully obtained the chromatic number ${\chi}(G)=4$ with 100% probability, when applied to two actual map and two planar graphs. The proposed "four color algorithm", therefore, could be employed as a general algorithm to determine four-color for planar graphs.
Keywords
Minimum Vertex Cover (MVC); Maximum Independent Set (MIS); Minimum Degree; Chromatic Number;
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