Graphs with large maximum forcing number

TL;DR

This paper confirms a conjecture relating the maximum forcing number and edges in graphs with perfect matchings, and explores how perfect matchings can be transformed via cycle switches, especially in bipartite graphs.

Contribution

It proves Liu and Zhang's conjecture, establishes bounds on the maximum forcing number, and characterizes perfect matching transformations in bipartite graphs.

Findings

Confirmed Liu and Zhang's conjecture on forcing numbers.

Derived bounds on maximum forcing number based on edges.

Characterized perfect matching transformations in bipartite graphs.

Abstract

For a graph $G$ with order $2n$ and a perfect matching, let $f(G)$ and $F(G)$ denote the minimum and maximum forcing number of $G$ respectively. Then $0\leq f(G)\leq F(G)\leq n-1$. Liu and Zhang [10] ever proposed a conjecture: $e(G)\geq \frac{n^2}{n-F(G)}$, where $e(G)$ denotes the number of edges of $G$. In this paper we confirm this conjecture and obtain $F(G)\leq n-\frac{n^2}{e(G)}$. If $F(G)=n-1$, Liu and Zhang [9] proved that any two perfect matchings of $G$ can be obtained from each other by a series of matching switches along 4-cycles. If $G$ is bipartite and $F(G)\geq n-k$, $1\leq k\leq n-1$, we show that any two perfect matchings of $G$ can be obtained from each other by a series of matching switches along even cycles of length at most $2(k+1)$. Finally, we ask whether $f(G)\geq \lceil\frac{n}{k}\rceil-1$ holds for such bipartite graphs $G$, and give positive answers for the cases $k=1,2$. Further we show all minimum forcing numbers of the bipartite graphs $G$ of order $2n$ and with $F(G)=n-2$ form an integer interval $[\lfloor\frac{n}{2}\rfloor, n-2]$.