A note on 2-factors with two components (Q2570117)

The authors prove that any Hamiltonian graph of order \(n\geq 6\) and minimum degree at least \(5n/12+2\) has a \(2\)-factor with two components. The motivation is \textit{G. A. Dirac}'s [Proc. Lond. Math. Soc., III. Ser. 2, 69--81 (1952; Zbl 0047.17001)] and \textit{S. Brandt}'s et al. [J. Graph Theory 24, 165--173 (1997; Zbl 0879.05060)] theorem that minimum degree at least \(n/2\) is sufficient both for Hamiltonicity and for the existence of a \(2\)-factor with two components. Thus the paper under review can relax the lower bound if Hamiltonicity is known from other sources. Note that a Hamilton cycle can be seen as a connected \(2\)-factor. The authors remark that the result probably is not best possible.