Note on Whitney's theorem for \(k\)-connected graphs (Q2713601)

Two theorems on vertex \(k\)-connected graphs \(G\), \(k\geq 3\), are proved. Let \(u, v\) be two distinct vertices of \(G\). The first theorem refines the Menger-Whitney theorem: there are \(k\) vertex disjoint paths \(P_i\) connecting \(u\) and \(v\) such that the deletion of the inner vertices of any \(P_i\) does not disconnect \(G\) and, moreover, either \(G-P{_i}\), for \(i=1,2,3\) is connected or \(G-P{_i}\), for \(i=1,2\) is connected and \(G-P{_i}\), for \(i=3,\dots ,k\) has exactly two components. By the second theorem there are \(k\) vertex disjoint paths \(P_i\) connecting \(u\) and \(v\) such that \(r_1+\cdots +r_k\leq 2(k-1)\) if \(r_i\) is the number of components of \(G-P_i\).