(Graph Theory) Proving Prim‘s Algorithm

The Algorithm

Notice that this algorithm only applies to connected graphs.

• Start with a blank list v i s i t e d : = { } visited:=\{\} visited:={}, which is used to record visted vertices. We also need to keep track of the edges we pick.

• The first iteration starts here: Pick some arbitrary vertex $v_1$ to start, update the list to { v 1 } \{v_1\} {v1​}. This iteration, the $0$th iteration, ends.

• If $v_1$ is not all the vertex we have in the graph, continue, or the algorithm ends.

• The second iteration starts. Look for the edge incident on $v_1$ such that

  • (a) the edge is incident on $v_1$ and an unvisited vertex
  • (b) the edge has the smallest weight

• Say the edge we pick, $e_1$, is incident on $v_1$ and $v_2$.
  - Update the list to v i s i t e d = { v 1 , v 2 } visited=\{v_1,v_2\} visited={v1​,v2​} and record $e_1$. This iteration is finished. If $v_1,v_2$ are not all the vertices we have in the graph, continue, or the algorithm ends.

• The next iteration will be to choose the edge with the smallest weight among all the edges incident on $v_1$ OR $v_2$ (but not both, or we will be choosing a duplicate)and some unvisited vertex. Say we choose an edge, $e_2$, that is incident on $v_3$.

• Update the list to v i s i t i e d = { v 1 , v 2 , v 3 } visitied = \{v_1,v_2,v_3\} visitied={v1​,v2​,v3​} and record $e_2$. This iteration is finished.

• Repeat this process again, but this time we will be choosing the edge with the smallest weight among all the edges incident on $v_1$ OR $v_2$ OR $v_3$ and some univisited vertex.

• When the last vertex in the graph is added to $visited$, we are done.

Prim’s Algorithm is Greedy

• Prim’s Algorithm is a greedy algorithm, which means in each iteration, it always makes the locally best choice (i.e. the best choice available in each iteration). However, we might argue that a collection of local optimum may not always give the global optima, yet the algorithm does always give the minimum spanning tree. We want to prove this.

Prim’s Algorithm Always Works

• Claim: Prim’s Algorithm is correct. That is, the tree obtained at the termination of the algorithm is a minimum spanning tree.

Proof

• Assume $T_i$ is the (sub)graph obtained after the $i$th iteration. We will be showing, by induction, that for each $i,0\le i\le n-1$ (assuming $n$ vertices), $T_i$ is in a minimum spanning tree.
• Let $T_0$ be the graph obtained after ther $0$th iteration. Notice that $T_0$ must be contained in every minimum spanning tree because a spanning tree contains all vertices, and $T_0$ is just a single vertex.
• Assume for $i=k,k\ge 0$, $T_i$ is contained in some minimum spanning tree.
• Consider $i=k+1$. The algorithm will pick an edge incident on some vertex $v\in T_k$ and another vertex $w\notin T_k$, say $e$, with minimum weight, to add to $T_k$ (along with $w$) to form $T_{k+1}$. Assume the minimum spanninbg tree that $T_k$ is in is $T_1$.
• If $T_1$ contains $e$, then by construction the only way it contains $e$ is by having $T_{k+1}$ as its subgraph, then we are done.
• If $T_1$ does not contain $e$, then T 2 : = T 1 ∪ { e } T_2:=T_1\cup \{e\} T2​:=T1​∪{e} contains a cycle (as $T_1$ is already a spanning tree). Assume we remove from $T_2$ an edge that is not $e$, say $e^{\prime }$ incident on $x\in T_k$ and $y\notin T_k$, from the cycle, and obtain $T_3$ i.e. T 3 = T 1 ∪ { e } − { e ′ } T_3=T_1\cup \{e\}-\{e'\} T3​=T1​∪{e}−{e′}.
• Notice we only removed this single edge, so other edges and vertices in $T_1$ are intact. Therefore, By the important exercise, we know $T_3$ is still connected, and it is acyclic.
• Moreover, as $T_3$ contains all the vertices, it is a spanning tree. Since $T_1$ is already a minimum spanning tree, $w(T_1)\le w(T_3)$.
• However, because $e$ is the edge chosen by the algorithm at the $(k+1)$th iteration, $w(e)\le w(e^{\prime })$.
• Thus, $w(T_3)=w(T_1)+w(e)-w(e^{\prime })\le w(T_1)$.
• Thus, $w(T_3)=w(T_1)$, which means $T_{k+1}$ is in $T_3$, another minimum spanning tree.
• Thus, $T_{k+1}$ is always in some minimum spanning tree, which verifies the claim.
  Notice that in the proof we used an important technique regarding spanning tree: if you add any edge that was not originally in the spanning tree to a spanning tree, you will end up with a cycle in the resulting graph. Then, you may want to use the important exercise to show something about connectivity. Below is another application of this idea.

The Edge with Minimum Weight

• Claim: The edge with the minimum weight in a connected graph is in every minimum spanning tree of the graph.

Proof

• Suppose $e$ in a connected graph $G$ is the edge with the minimun weight.
• Suppose $T$ is a minimum spanning tree of $G$. Suppose it does not contain $e$. Then we add $e$ to $T$, and we obtain a cycle containing $e$. Suppose we remove a single edge in that cycle that is not $e$. Say we remove $e^{\prime }$. By the important exercise, we will have another spanning tree. However, since $w(e)\le w(e^{\prime })$, the resulting spanning tree’s weight is less than or equal to $T$. If $w(e)=w(e^{\prime })$, then both $e$ and $e^{\prime }$ are the edges with the minimum weight, and we are done; if $w(e)<w(e^{\prime })$, we get a contradiction, so $T$ must contain $e$ in the first place.