A proof of a conjecture of minus domination in graphs (Q1849967)

Let \(G\) be a graph with the vertex set \(V(G)\). A mapping \(f: V(G)\to \{-1,1\}\) with the property that \(\sum_{x\in N[v]} f(x)\geq 1\) for the closed neighbourhood \(N[v]\) of any vertex \(v\in V(G)\) is called a signed dominating function on \(G\). The minimum value of \(w(f)= \sum_{x\in V(G)} f(x)\) taken over all signed dominating functions \(f\) on \(G\) is the signed domination number \(\gamma_s(G)\) of \(G\). The minus domination number \(\gamma^-(G)\) of \(G\) is defined quite analogously, only replacing \(f: V(G)\to \{-1, 1\}\) by \(f: V(G)\to \{-1, 0, 1\}\). In the paper the inequality \(\gamma^-(G)\geq 4((11+ n)^{1/2}- 1)- n\) is stated. This proves a conjecture suggested by J. Dunbar, S. Hedetniemi and M. A. Henning.