A course in topological combinatorics
algebraic topologyBrouwer's fixed-point theoremchromatic numberembedding problemsgraph theoryKneser conjectureKuratowski's theoremLovász complexmapping problemsSmith theorythe lemma of Spencerthe lemma of Tuckerthe theorem of Borsuk and Ulam
Introductory exposition (textbooks, tutorial papers, etc.) pertaining to combinatorics (05-01) Enumerative combinatorics (05A99) Planar graphs; geometric and topological aspects of graph theory (05C10) Coloring of graphs and hypergraphs (05C15) Partial orders, general (06A06) Fixed-point and coincidence theorems (topological aspects) (54H25) Fixed points and coincidences in algebraic topology (55M20) Finite groups of transformations in algebraic topology (including Smith theory) (55M35)
Topological combinatorics is concerned with the applications of the many powerful techniques of algebraic topology to problems in combinatorics. One of its landmarks is [\textit{L. Lovász}, J. Comb. Theory, Ser. A 25, 319--324 (1978; Zbl 0418.05028)], which gave an elegant proof of Kneser conjecture [\textit{Martin Kneser}, Aufgabe 360, Jahresbericht der Deutschen Mathematiker-Vereinigung 58, No. 2, 27 (1955)] by exploiting [\textit{K. Borsuk}, Fundam. Math. 20, 177--190 (1933; Zbl 0006.42403; JFM 59.0560.01)]. The present book aims to give a clear and vivid presentation of some of the most beautiful and accessible results from the area. The text, based upon some courses by the author at Freie Universität Berlin, is designed for an advanced undergraduate student. The book consists of 9 chapters, the first four of which being intended for main topics while the remaining five being concerned with appendices. The first chapter deals with envy-free fair and consensus divisions, which lead to two distinct topological tools, namely, Brouwer's fixed point theorem and the theorem of Borsuk and Ulam, which turn out to have combinatorial analogues called the lemma of Spencer and that of Tucker. The second chapter is concerned with Kneser conjecture settled by Lovász, as mentioned above. ``Lovász associated a simplical complex to a graph in such a way that the topology of the complex provides some information about the chromatic number of the graph, therefore transforming a discrete problem into a topological one. The third chapter is based upon [\textit{M. Aigner}, Combinatorial search. Wiley-Teubner Series in Computer Science. Stuttgart (FRG): B. G. Teubner; Chichester (UK): Wiley (1988; Zbl 0663.68076)]; [\textit{B. Bollobás}, Extremal graph theory. Reprint of the 1978 original. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications (2004; Zbl 1099.05044); Extremal graph theory. London--New York--San Francisco: Academic Press (1978; Zbl 0419.05031)]; [\textit{Daria Schymura}, Über die Fragekomplexität von Mengen-und Grapheneigenschaften, Master's thesis, Freie Universität Berlin (2006)] and [\textit{J. Kahn, M. Saks} and \textit{D. Sturtevant}, Combinatorica 4, 297--306 (1984; Zbl 0577.05061)]. The fourth chapter answers the question whether a given graph \(G\) is planar, namely, Kuratowski's theorem, by using methods of algebraic topology. Proceeding more generally, the author considers whether a given simplicial complex admits a geometric realization in some fixed dimension \(n\). The author investigates, besides questions of embeddability and nonembeddability, whether all maps of a given graph or a complex into some Euclidean space have some predetermined intersection property and whether maps with such a property exist. The remaining five chapters are devoted to Appendix A (basic concepts from graph theory), Appendix B (crash course in topology), Appendix C (partially ordered sets, order complexes, and their topology), Appendix D (groups and group actions) and Appendix E (some results and applications from Smith theory) based upon [\textit{G. E. Bredon}, Introduction to compact transformation groups. New York--London: Academic Press (1972; Zbl 0246.57017)] and [\textit{R. Oliver}, Comment. Math. Helv. 50, 155--177 (1975; Zbl 0304.57020)].
- scientific article; zbMATH DE number 3896984
- Topological results in combinatorics
- Topological methods in combinatorial problems
- Topological methods in combinatorial geometry
- Combinatorial algebraic topology
- Combinatorial algebraic topology
- Combinatorial and geometric methods in topology
- scientific article; zbMATH DE number 541450
- Constructive topology and combinatorics
- Different versions of the nerve theorem and colourful simplices
- Polytopal Bier spheres and Kantorovich-Rubinstein polytopes of weighted cycles
- Envy-free division of multi-layered cakes
- Balanced shellings and moves on balanced manifolds
- Ham-sandwich cuts and center transversals in subspaces
- Dold's theorem from viewpoint of strong compatibility graphs
- Strengthening topological colorful results for graphs
- Topology of tropical moduli of weighted stable curves
- scientific article; zbMATH DE number 2186841 (Why is no real title available?)
- scientific article; zbMATH DE number 541450 (Why is no real title available?)
- Using Brouwer’s Fixed Point Theorem
- The smallest nonevasive graph property
- Illumination complexes, -zonotopes, and the polyhedral curtain theorem
- scientific article; zbMATH DE number 863503 (Why is no real title available?)
- Simplicial complexes and the evasiveness conjecture
- Ham-Sandwich Cuts and Center Transversals in Subspaces
- Bad drawings of small complete graphs
- The discrete yet ubiquitous theorems of Carathéodory, Helly, Sperner, Tucker, and Tverberg
- Poset topology: tools and applications
- Using the Borsuk-Ulam theorem. Lectures on topological methods in combinatorics and geometry. Written in cooperation with Anders Björner and Günter M. Ziegler
- Using the Borsuk-Ulam theorem. Lectures on topological methods in combinatorics and geometry. Written in cooperation with Anders Björner and Günter M. Ziegler
- Topological combinatorics -- the Kneser conjecture
- Defining logical obstruction with fixpoints in epistemic logic
- Topological methods in zero-sum Ramsey theory
- Colorful Borsuk-Ulam theorems and applications
- Ky Fan theorem for sphere bundles
- Box complexes: at the crossroad of graph theory and topology
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