An Ore graph is a simple graph in which every pair of distinct nonadjacent vertices
and
satisfies
where is the vertex
set,
is the vertex count, and
is the vertex degree of
(Ore 1960, Bondy 1971). The strict inequality
used by Skiena (1990, p. 197) and Pemmaraju and Skiena (2003, p. 301) is
a more restrictive hypothesis.
Ore's theorem states that Ore graphs with at least three vertices are Hamiltonian.
For these graphs, a Hamiltonian
cycle can be constructed in polynomial time
(Bondy and Chvátal 1976; Skiena 1990, p. 197). The numbers of unlabeled
simple graphs on ,
2, ... satisfying Ore's criterion (using the "vacuous
truth" convention and so including complete
graphs
) are 1, 1, 1, 3, 5, 21, 68, 503, 4942, 128361, ...
(OEIS A264683), the first few of which are
illustrated above.
Under the conventions used here, is Hamiltonian, while
satisfies Ore's criterion but is not
Hamiltonian. Conversely, not every Hamiltonian
graph satisfies Ore's criterion. The numbers of unlabeled simple Hamiltonian graphs on
,
2, ... vertices that do not satisfy Ore's criterion
are 0, 0, 0, 0, 3, 27, 315, 5693, 172141, 9176757, ... (OEIS A264684),
the first few of which are illustrated above.