Abstract

The core idea of Ramsey theory is that complete disorder is impossible. Given a large structure, no matter how complex it is, we can always find a smaller substructure that has some sort of order. For a graph H, the k-color Ramsey number r(H; k) of H is the smallest integer n such that every k-edge-coloring of Kn contains a monochromatic copy of H. Despite active research for decades, very little is known about Ramsey numbers of graphs. This is especially true for r(H; k) when k is at least 3, also known as the multicolor Ramsey number of H. Let Sn denote the star on n+1 vertices, the graph with one vertex of degree n (the center of Sn) and n vertices of degree 1. The double star S(n,m) is the graph consisting of the disjoint union of Sn and Sm together with an edge joining their centers. In this thesis, we study the multicolor Ramsey number of double stars. We obtain upper and lower bounds for r(S(n,m); k) when k is at least 3 and prove that r(S(n,m); k) = nk + m + 2 for k odd and n sufficiently large. We also investigate a new variant of the Ramsey number known as the list Ramsey number. Let L be an assignment of k-element subsets of the positive integers to the edges of Kn. A k-edge-coloring c of Kn is an L-coloring if c(e) belongs to L(e) for each edge e of Kn. The list Ramsey number rl(H; k) of H is the smallest integer n such that there is some L for which every L-coloring of Kn contains a monochromatic copy of H. In this thesis, we study rl(S(1,1); p) and rl(Sn; p), where p is an odd prime number.

Thesis Completion

2022

Semester

Spring

Thesis Chair/Advisor

Song, Zi-Xia

Degree

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Mathematics

Degree Program

Mathematics

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Release Date

5-1-2022

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