How does graph theory work and how is related to computer science?
In: Engineering
How does graph theory work? Well, you start by taking objects (called nodes or vertices) and connecting them to each other with either undirected or directed “lines,” (directed lines can only have information or whatever flow one way) that represent relationships. Then you can determine properties of the resulting graph using math.
In computer science, you can use virtual graphs to map all sorts of things, because the computer can store them fairly efficiently. It is most popular to use them to study network dynamics (especially how networks function as they gain and lose nodes), data organization and interrelations, and even computational flow through a program.
I’m not a CS (just a former non-discrete math major) so that’s about all I know, but there’s even graph-specific languages like GRAPE that make processes like this easier. If you’re really interested, this is usually the domain of some undergraduate abstract algebra courses.
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