Bounding mean orders of sub-\(k\)-trees of \(k\)-trees (Q6131736)

Summary: For a \(k\)-tree \(T\), we prove that the maximum local mean order is attained in a \(k\)-clique of degree \(1\) and that it is not more than twice the global mean order. We also bound the global mean order if \(T\) has no \(k\)-cliques of degree \(2\) and prove that for large order, the \(k\)-star attains the minimum global mean order. These results solve the remaining problems of \textit{A. M. Stephens} and \textit{O. R. Oellermann} [J. Graph Theory 88, No. 1, 61--79 (2018; Zbl 1391.05082)] concerning the mean order of sub-\(k\)-trees of \(k\)-trees.