Publication Date

5-1-2006

Degree Program

Department of Mathematics and Computer Science

Degree Type

Master of Science

Abstract

In order to research knots with large crossing numbers, one would like to be able to select a random knot from the set of all knots with n crossings with as close to uniform probability as possible. The underlying graph of a knot diagram can be viewed as a 4-regular planar graph. The existence of a Hamiltonian cycle in such a graph is necessary in order to use the graph to compute an upper bound on rope length for a given knot. The algorithm to generate such graphs is discussed and an exact count of the number of graphs is obtained. In order to allow for the existence of such a count, a somewhat technical definition of graph equivalence is used. The main result of the thesis is the asymptotic results of how fast the number of graphs with n vertices (crossings) grows with n.

Disciplines

Applied Mathematics

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