Electronic Journal of Graph Theory and Applications 4 (2) (2016), 171–177

Enumeration for spanning trees and forests of

join graphs based on the combinatorial decom-
position
Sung Sik U
Faculty of Mathematics, Kim Il Sung University, DPRK

e-mail address : usungsik@yahoo.com

Abstract
This paper discusses the enumeration for rooted spanning trees and forests of the labelled join
graphs Km + Hn and Km + Kn,p , where Hn is a graph with n isolated vertices.
Keywords: spanning tree, spanning forest, join graph, enumeration
Mathematics Subject Classification : 05C05 05C30
DOI:10.5614/ejgta.2016.4.2.5

1. Introduction
In this paper we consider the enumeration problem of rooted spanning trees and forests of
two labelled join graphs. In [2], the number of spanning forests of the labelled complete bipartite
graph Km,n on m and n vertices has been enumerated by combinatorial method. In [1] and [3], it
has been given the enumeration of spanning trees of the complete tripartite graph Km,n,p on m, n
and p vertices and the complete multipartite graph, respectively. In [4], by using the multivariate
Lagrange inverse, the number of spanning forests of the labelled complete multipartite graph was
derived. And, in [5], it has been found the asymptotic number of labeled spanning forests of the
complete bipartite graph Km,n as m → ∞ when m ≤ n and n = o(m6/5 ).
Given two graphs G1 = (V1 , E1 ) and G2 = (V2 , E2 ) with disjoint vertex sets, we let G1 + G2
denote the join of G1 and G2 , that is, the graph G1 + G2 = (V1 ∪ V2 , E1 ∪ E2 ∪ E(V1 , V2 )) where
E(V1 , V2 ) = {(i, j)|i ∈ V1 , j ∈ V2 }, (i, j) denotes an edge between two vertices i ∈ V1 , j ∈ V2 .

Received: 21 April 2014, Revised: 11 July 2015, Accepted: 2 August 2016.

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 Enumeration for spanning trees and forests of join graphs ... | Sung Sik U

Clearly, by the definition of a join graph, the complete bipartite graph Km,n is a join graph
Hm + Hn and the complete tripartite graph Km,n,p is a join graph Hm + Hn + Hp , where Hm , Hn
and Hp are graphs with m isolated vertices, n isolated vertices and p isolated vertices, respectively.
The goal of this paper first is to give a combinatorial proof of the enumeration for the spanning
trees and forests of a labelled join graph Km + Hn , where Km is the complete graph on m vertices
and Hn is the graph with n isolated vertices. Second, this paper also gives a combinatorial proof
of the enumeration for the spanning trees and all forests of another labelled join graph Km + Kn,p ,
where Kn,p is the complete bipartite graph on n vertices and p vertices.

2. Enumeration for spanning trees and forests of a join graph Km + Hn

Let V (G) denote the vertex set of graph G. Throughout this paper, we will consider only the
labelled graphs. In this section, we consider a join graph Km + Hn where Km is the complete
graph on the vertex set {x1 , x2 , · · · , xm }.
Lemma 2.1. The number f (m, l) of the labelled spanning forests of Km with l roots is
 
m
f (m, l) = lmm−l−1 . (1)
l
Proof Let X = V (Km ) = {x1 , x2 , · · · , x
m } be the vertex set of Km and {xi1 , xi2 , · · · , xil }
be the given root set of Km . There are ml ways to choose the l roots in V (Km ). Also, let
X 0 = X\{xi1 , xi2 , · · · , xil } be a subset of X, and X 00 be another copy of X 0 and let x00 ∈ X 00
denote copy of x0 ∈ X 0 . Take the complete bipartite graph Km,m−l with the partition (X, X 00 ) of
its vertex set. Consider the subgraph G of Km,m−l that contains only the directed edges of the form
(x0 , x00 ), x0 ∈ X 0 , x00 ∈ X 00 . The number of the components of G is equal to m − l and G is a forest
of Km−l,m−l = (X 0 , X 00 ). Let D(m, |{xi1 , xi2 , · · · , xil }|; m − l, 0) be the set of the labelled span-
ning forests of Km,m−l = (X, X 00 ) with l roots xi1 , xi2 , · · · , xil ∈ X and D∗ (Km ; xi1 , xi2 , · · · , xil )
be the set of the labelled spanning forests of Km with l roots xi1 , xi2 , · · · , xil ∈ X. Now any span-
ning forest in D(m, |{xi1 , xi2 , · · · , xil }|; m − l, 0) containing G gives rise to a spanning forest in
D∗ (Km ; xi1 , xi2 , · · · , xil ) by contracting the edges (x0 , x00 ), x0 ∈ X 0 , x00 ∈ X 00 .
Conversely, any forest in D∗ (Km ; xi1 , xi2 , · · · · · · , xil ) can be extended to a forest in
D(m, |{xi1 , xi2 , · · · · · · , xil }|; m − l, 0) containing G by inserting vertex x00 ∈ X 00 after x0 ∈ X 0 .
Therefore, from G, we will construct the rooted spanning forests of Km,m−l with l roots in X as
follows.
For any fixed integer t ∈ [0, m − l − 1], add t edges consecutively to G as follows. At each
step we add an edge of the form (v, x0 ) between x0 ∈ X 0 and a (unique)vertex v ∈ X 00 of out-
degree zero in any component not containing x0 in the graph already constructed. The number of
components decreases by one each time such an edge is added.
Since |X 0 | = m−l and the number of components not containing x0 in the graph G is m−l −1,
there are (m − l)(m − l − 1) choices for the first such edge. Similarly, there are (m − l)(m − l − 2)
choices for the second edge, · · · , and (m − l)(m − l − t) choices for the tth edge.
The order in which the t edges are added to G is immaterial, so it follows that there are
 
[(m − l)(m − l − 1)][(m − l)(m − l − 2)] · · · [(m − l)(m − l − t)] m−l−1
= (m − l)t
t! t

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 Enumeration for spanning trees and forests of join graphs ... | Sung Sik U

ways.
Every graph we obtained will have m − l − t (weakly) connected components each of which
has a unique vertex in X 00 of out-degree zero. Link edges from m − l − t vertices of out-degree
zero in these components to l given roots xi1 , xi2 , · · · · · · , xil , there are lm−l−t ways. Hence,
  m−l−1    
m X m − l − 1 m−l−t m
f (m, l) = l (m − l) = t
lmm−l−1 . 2
l t=0
t l

Let D(m, l) be the set of the labelled spanning forests of Km with l roots, i.e.,
f (m, l) = |D(m, l)|. (2)
Theorem 2.1. The number g(m, n) of the labelled spanning trees of Km + Hn is
g(m, n) = mn−1 (m + n)m−1 . (3)
Proof Let V (Km ) = {x1 , x2 , · · · , xm }, V (Hn ) = {y1 , y2 , · · · , yn } be the vertex sets of Km , Hn ,
respectively, and y1 ∈ V (Hn ) be the given root of Km + Hn . Let D(m, 0; n, |{y1 }|) be the set of
the labelled spanning trees of Km +Hn with root y1 and T (m, n) be the set of the labelled spanning
trees of Km + Hn . Clearly, |T (m, n)| = |D(m, 0; n, |{y1 }|)|.
From every graph F ∈ D(m, l), we will construct the rooted spanning trees of Km + Hn as
follows. Link an edge (y, x) between every y ∈ V (Hn )\{y1 } and some x ∈ V (F ). There are
mn−1 ways. Notice that the obtained graph G has l (weakly) connected components each of which
has a unique vertex in V (Km ) of out-degree zero.
Now, for any fixed integer t, let G0 denote a graph obtained by adding t edges consecutively
to G as follows. At each step we add an edge of the form (x, y) where y is any vertex of y ∈
V (Hn )\{y1 } and x ∈ V (Km ) is a vertex of out-degree zero in any component not containing y
in the graph already constructed. The number of components decreases by one each time such an
edge is added.
Since |V (Hn )\{y1 }| = n − 1 and the number of components not containing y in the graph G
already constructed is l − 1, there are (n − 1)(l − 1) choices for the first such edge. Similarly,
there are (n − 1)(l − 2) choices for the second edge, · · · , and (n − 1)(l − t) choices for the tth
edge, where, 0 ≤ t ≤ l − 1, because the number of components in the graph G is l. The graph G0
thus constructed has l − t components each of which has a unique vertex in V (Km ) of out-degree
zero and the remaining vertices all have out-degree one; if we add edges from these vertices of
out-degree zero to y1 , we obtain a tree T 0 in D(m, 0; n, |{y1 }|) that contains G and in which the
in-degree of y1 equals to l − t . The order in which the t edges are added to G to form G0 is
immaterial, so it follows that there are
 
[(n − 1)(l − 1)][(n − 1)(l − 2)] · · · [(n − 1)(l − t)] l−1
= (n − 1)t
t! t
rooted spanning trees T 0 for fixed integer t. This implies that there are
l−1  
X l−1
(n − 1)t = nl−1
t=0
t

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spanning trees T in D(m, 0; n, |{y1 }|) that contain G. Hence, by (2) and Lemma 2.1, we have
m
X
g(m, n) = |D(m, 0; n, |{y1 }|)| = |D(m, l)|nl−1 mn−1
l=1
m  
X m
= lmm−l−1 nl−1 mn−1 = mn−1 (m + n)m−1
l=1
l

as desired. 2
Theorem 2.2. The number g(m, l; n, k) of the labelled spanning forests of Km + Hn with l roots
in Km and k roots in Hn is
  
m n
g(m, l; n, k) = mn−k−1 (m + n)m−l−1 (lm + mk + ln − kl). (4)
l k

Proof Let V (Hn ) = {y1 , y
2 , · · · , yn } be the vertex set of Hn and {yi1 , yi2 , · · · , yik } be the given
root set of Hn . There are nk ways to choose the k roots in V (Hn ). Let V (Km ) = {x1 , x2 , · · · , xm }
be the vertex set of Km and Y 0 = V (Hn )\{yi1 , yi2 , · · · , yik } be a subset of V (Hn ).
From every graph F ∈ D(m, s)(s ≥ l), we will construct the rooted spanning forests of
Km + Hn with l roots in Km and k roots in Hn as follows. Link an edge (y, v) between every
y ∈ Y 0 and some v ∈ V (F ). There are mn−k ways. Notice that the obtained graph G has s
(weakly) connected components each of which has a unique vertex in V (Km ) of out-degree zero
and the remaining vertices all have out-degree one.
As in the proof of former theorem, link an edge (v, y) between y ∈ Y 0 and a vertex v ∈ V (Km )
of out-degree zero in any component not containing y in the graph already constructed, we repeat
this procedure i times, where, 0 ≤ i ≤ s − l, because the required forests have l roots in V (Km ).
There are
 
[(n − k)(s − 1)][(n − k)(s − 2)] · · · [(n − k)(s − i)] s−1
= (n − k)i (5)
i! i
ways.
Every graph G0 we obtained will have s − i components each of which has a unique vertex in
V (Km ) of out-degree zero. Now, choose the s − i − l vertices of out-degree zero in these s − i
components and link edges from these s − i − l vertices to k roots yi1 , yi2 , · · · , yik . There are
   
s−i s−i−l s − i s−i−l
k = k (6)
s−i−l l
ways.
Therefore, by (5) and (6), the number of the rooted spanning forests of Km + Hn which are
obtained from F is equal to
s−l       
X s−1 s−i i s−i−l s s−l s s − l s−l−1
(n − k) k = n − n (n − k). (7)
i=0
i l l l s

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Hence, by (2), (7) and Lemma 2.1, the number g(m, l; n, k) of the labelled spanning forests of
Km + Hn with l roots in Km and k roots in Hn is as follows.
 X m s−l   
n n−k
X s−1 s−i
g(m, l; n, k) = |D(m, s)|m (n − k)i k s−i−l
k s=l i=0
i l
 X m       
n m m−s−1 n−k s s−l s s − l s−l−1
= sm m n − n (n − k)
k s=l s l l s
  
m n
= mn−k−1 (m + n)m−l−1 (lm + mk + ln − lk).
l k
We get the required result. 2
Corollary 2.1. The number S(m, n) of all spanning forests of the join graph Km + Hn is equal to
S(m, n) = (m + n + 1)m (m + 1)n−1 . (8)
Proof By Theorem 2.2,
m X
X n
S(m, n) = g(m, l; n, k)
l=0 k=0
m X n   
X m n
= mn−k−1 (m + n)m−l−1 (lm + mk + ln − kl)
l=0 k=0
l k
= (m + n + 1)m (m + 1)n−1 .
Thus, this corollary is true. 2

3. Enumeration for spanning trees and forests of a join graph Km + Kn,p

In this section, we consider another join graph Km + Kn,p where Km is the complete graph and
Kn,p is the complete bipartite graph. We will show how to count the number of the spanning trees
of a join graph Km + Kn,p . Clearly, Km + Kn,p = (Km + Hn ) + Hp . Let D(m, l; n, k) be the set
of the labelled spanning forests of Km + Hn with l roots in Km and k roots in Hn , i.e.,
g(m, l; n, k) = |D(m, l; n, k)|. (9)
Theorem 3.1. The number g(m, n, p) of the spanning trees of Km + Kn,p is equal to
g(m, n, p) = (m + n)p−1 (m + p)n−1 (m + n + p)m . (10)
Proof Let V (Km + Hn ) = {x1 , x2 , · · · , xm ; y1 , y2 , ..., yn } be the vertex set of Km + Hn and
V (Hp ) = {z1 , z2 , ..., zp } be the vertex set of Hp . Let z1 ∈ V (Hp ) be the given roots of Km + Kn,p
and Z 0 = V (Hp )\{z1 }, D(m, 0; n, 0; p, |{z1 }|) be the set of the labelled spanning trees of Km +
Kn,p with root z1 . Clearly,
g(m, n, p) = |D(m, 0; n, 0; p, |{z1 }|)|.

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We shall obtain the spanning trees in D(m, 0; n, 0; p, |{z1 }|) from every graph F ∈ D(m, l; n, k).
As in the proof of former theorem, link an edge (z, v) between every z ∈ Z 0 and some v ∈ V (F ).
There are (m + n)p−1 ways. Notice that the obtained graph G has l + k (weakly) connected compo-
nents each of which has a unique vertex in V (Km ) ∪ V (Hn ) of out-degree zero and the remaining
vertices all have out-degree one.
For any fixed integer t such that 0 ≤ t ≤ l + k − 1, link an edge (v, z) between z ∈ Z 0 and
a vertex v ∈ V (Km ) ∪ V (Hn ) of out-degree zero in any component not containing z in the graph
already constructed, we repeat this procedure t times.
There are
 
[(p − 1)(l + k − 1)][(p − 1)(l + k − 2)] · · · [(p − 1)(l + k − t)] l+k−1
= (p − 1)t
t! t

ways. Therefore, the number of the spanning trees which are obtained from F is equal to
l+k−1
X  
l+k−1
(p − 1)t = pl+k−1 .
t=0
t

Hence, by (9) and Theorem 2.2,

g(m, n, p) = |D(m, 0; n, 0; p, |{z1 }|)|

Xm Xn
= |D(m, l; n, k)|pl+k−1 (m + n)p−1
l=0 k=0
n   
m X
X m n
= mn−k−1 (m + n)m−l−1 (lm + km + ln − lk)pk+l−1 (m + n)p−1
l=0 k=0
l k
= (m + n)p−1 (m + p)n−1 (m + n + p)m .

Therefore, we get the required result. 2

Theorem 3.2. The number S(m, n, p) of all spanning forests of the join graph Km + Kn,p is equal
to
S(m, n, p) = (m + n + p + 1)m+1 (m + n + 1)p−1 (m + p + 1)n−1 . (11)

Proof Let B(p, r) denote the set of spanning forests of the join graph Km +Kn,p = (Km +Hn )+Hp
which r roots are in V (Hp ) and remaining roots are in V (Km ) or V (Hn ).
From every graph F ∈ D(m, l; n, k), we will construct the rooted spanning forests of (Km +
Hn ) + Hp with r roots in V (Hp ) as follows. Let zi1 , zi2 , ·
· · , zir ∈ V (Hp ) be root vertices. The
number of ways to select r roots in V (Hp ) is equal to pr . Let Z 0 = V (Hp )\{zi1 , zi2 , · · · , zir }.
Link an edge (z, v) between every v ∈ Z 0 and some v ∈ V (F ). There are (m+n)p−r ways. Notice
that the obtained graph G has l + k (weakly) connected components each of which has a unique
vertex in V (Km ) ∪ V (Hn ) of out-degree zero and the remaining vertices all have out-degree one.
As in the proof of former theorem, for any fixed integer t such that 0 ≤ t ≤ l + k − 1, link an
edge (v, z) between z ∈ Z 0 and a vertex v ∈ V (Km )∪V (Hn ) of out-degree zero in any component

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not containing z in the graph already constructed, we repeat this procedure t times. There are
 
[(p − r)(l + k − 1)][(p − r)(l + k − 2)] · · · [(p − r)(l + k − t)] l+k−1
= (p − r)t
t! t
ways.
The graph G0 thus constructed has l + k − t components each of which has a unique vertex in
V (Km ) ∪ V (Hn ) of out-degree zero and the remaining vertices all have out-degree one; if we add
edges from some vertices of these vertices of out-degree zero to zi1 , zi2 , · · · , zir ∈ Z, we obtain a
forest in B(p, r) that contains G. There are (r + 1)l+k−t ways. Therefore, this implies that there
are
l+k−1
X l + k − 1
(p − r)t (r + 1)l+k−t = (r + 1)(p + 1)l+k−1
t=0
t
forests in B(p, r) that contain G. Hence, by (9) and Theorem 2.2,
m X n p  
X X p
S(m, n, p) = |D(m, l; n, k)| (m + n)p−r (r + 1)(p + 1)l+k−1
l=0 k=0 r=0
r
m X n   
X m n
= mn−k−1 (m + n)m−l−1 (lm + mk + ln − lk)
l=0 k=0
l k
p  
X p
(m + n)p−r (r + 1)(p + 1)l+k−1
r=0
r
= (m + n + p + 1)m+1 (m + n + 1)p−1 (m + p + 1)n−1 .
Thus, this theorem is true. 2

Acknowledgement
The author thanks the referees for very careful readings and many constructive commments
that greatly improve the presentation of this paper.

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