1. Chapter 1: Urban Services Lesson Plan
For All Practical Purposes
Management Science
Optimal Solutions for Urban Services
Euler Circuits
Parking-Control Officer Problem
Finding Euler Circuits
Qualifications: Even Valence and Connectedness
Beyond Euler Circuits
Chinese Postman Problem
Eulerizing a Graph
Urban Graph Traversal Problems
More practical applications and modifications
Mathematical Literacy in Today’s World, 7th ed. 1
© 2006, W.H. Freeman and Company

2. Chapter 1: Urban Services Management Science
Uses mathematical methods to help find optimal solutions to management problems. Often called Operations Research.
Optimal Solutions — The best (most favorable) solution
Government, business, and individuals all seek optimal results.
Optimization problems:
Finish a job quickly
Maximize profits
Minimize costs
Urban Services to optimize:
Checking parking meters
Delivering mail
Removing snow 2

3. Chapter 1: Urban Services Euler Circuits
Street map for part of a town.
Parking-Control Officer Problem
Checking parking meters
Our job is to find the most efficient route for the parking-control officer to walk as he checks the parking meters.
Problem: Check the meters on the top two blocks.
Goals for Parking-Control Officer
Must cover all the sidewalks without retracing any more steps than necessary.
Should end at the same point at which he began.
Problem: Start and end at the top left-hand corner of the left-hand block.
Euler circuit – A circuit that traverses each edge of a graph exactly once and starts and stops at the same point. 3

4. Chapter 1: Urban Services Euler Circuits
Simplified graph (b) is enlarged to show
the points (vertices) labeled with letters A – E which are linked by edges.
Simplified graph (a) is superimposed on the streets with parking meters.
Graph – A finite set of dots (vertices) and connecting links (edges).
Graphs can represent our city map, air routes, etc.
Vertex (pl. vertices) – A point (dot) in a graph where the edges meet.
Edge – A link that joins two vertices in a graph (traverse edges).
Path – A connected sequence of edges showing a route, described
by naming the vertices traveled.
Circuit – A path that starts and ends at the same vertex. 4

5. Chapter 1: Urban Services Euler Circuits
Path vs. Circuit
Paths – Paths can start and end at any vertex using the edges given. examples: NLB, NMRB, etc.
Circuits – Paths that starts and ends at the same vertex. Examples: MRLM, LRBL, etc.
Nonstop air routes
Circuit vs. Euler Circuit (Both start and end at same vertex.)
Circuits may retrace edges or not use all the edges.
Euler circuits travel each edge once and cover all edges. 5

6. Chapter 1: Urban Services Finding Euler Circuits
Two Ways to Find an Euler Circuit
Trial and error
Keep trying to create different paths to find one that starts and ends at the same point and does not retrace steps.
Mathematical approach (better method)
An Euler circuit exists if the following statements are true:
All points (vertices) have even valence.
The graph is connected.
Leonhard Euler (1707–1783)
Among other discoveries, he was credited with inventing the idea of a graph as well as the concepts of valence and connectedness. 6

7. Chapter 1: Urban Services Finding Euler Circuits
Valence – The number of edges touching that vertex
(counting spokes on the hub of a wheel).
Connectedness – You can reach any vertex by
traversing the edges given in the graph.
Euler circuit – Has even-valent vertices and is connected.
If vertices have odd valence, it is not an Euler circuit.
Proving Euler’s Theorem
If a graph has an Euler circuit, it must have only even-valent vertices and it must be connected. This can be proved by pairing up edges at each vertex, thus proving all vertices have paired edges and further proving there is an even number of edges at each vertex, X. Thus, every edge at X has an incoming edge (arriving at vertex X) and an outgoing edge (leaving from vertex X). Example: At vertex B, you can pair up edges 2 and 3 and edges 9 and 10.
An Euler circuit starting and ending at A 7

8. Chapter 1: Urban Services Finding Euler Circuits
Is there an Euler Circuit?
Does it have even valence? (Yes)
Is the graph connected? (Yes)
Euler circuit exists if both “yes.”
Create (Find) an Euler Circuit
Pick a point to start (if none has been given to you).
Number the edges in order of travel, showing the direction with arrows.
Cover every edge only once, and end at the same vertex where you started. 8

9. Chapter 1: Urban Services Beyond Euler Circuits
Chinese Postman Problem
In real life, not all problems will be perfect Euler circuits.
If no Euler circuit exists (odd valences), you want to minimize the length of the circuit by carefully choosing the edges to be retraced.
For our purposes, we assume all edges have the same length—simplified Chinese postman problem.
Chinese mathematician Meigu Guan first studied this problem in 1962, hence the name.
The blue dots indicate parking meters along the street.
The graph represents edges with parking meters. Notice only vertices C and D have odd valence. 9

10. Chapter 1: Urban Services Beyond Euler Circuits
Eulerize the Graph to Solve Chinese Postman Problem
For graphs that are connected but have vertices with odd valence, we will want to reuse (duplicate) the minimum number of edges until all vertices appear to have even valence.
Only existing edges can be duplicated (or added).
Each edge that is duplicated (added) will later be the edge that will be reused during eulerization.
A circuit is made by reusing the edge CD. Below, the graph is eulerized (starts and stops at same point and covers all “edges” once — including reused ones.
The edge CD is reused, which would make all vertices appear to have even valence. 10

11. Chapter 1: Urban Services Beyond Euler Circuits
Eulerizing a Graph
On the graph, add edges by duplicating existing ones, until you arrive at a graph that is connected and even-valent.
The graph below is an efficient eulerization because the fewest number of edges were added.
Find an Euler circuit on the eulerized graph.
Traverse every original and “added” edge once, as you find a circuit that starts and ends at the same vertex.
“Squeeze” this Euler circuit from the eulerized graph onto the original graph by replacing the “added” edge with an arrow showing it was retraced.
Only reuse (add) edge BC.
Squeeze the eulerized circuit onto the graph. 11

12. Chapter 1: Urban Services Beyond Euler Circuits
Hints for Eulerizing a Graph
For the most efficient eulerization, look for the fewest edges to add to make all vertices even.
Typically, locate odd valence vertices and try to reuse (add) the connecting edge between the vertices.
Sometimes vertices are more than one edge apart; in this case, reuse edges between vertices (see graph below).
Remember: Only duplicate (add to) the existing edges.
Odd vertices, X and Y, are more than one edge apart.
This is not allowed — must only reuse existing edges.
Reuse existing edges between the odd vertices. 12

13. Chapter 1: Urban Services Beyond Euler Circuits
Rectangular Networks – This is the name given to a street network composed of a series of rectangular blocks that form a large rectangle made up of so many blocks high by so many blocks wide.
Eulerizing rectangular networks: “Edge Walker”
Start in upper left corner (at A).
Travel (clockwise) around the outer boundary.
As you travel, add an edge by the following rules:
If the vertex is odd, add an edge by linking it to the next vertex.
If this next vertex becomes even, skip it (just keep “walking”).
If this next vertex becomes odd, (on a corner) link it to the next vertex.
Repeat this rule until you reach the upper left corner again. 13

14. Chapter 1: Urban Services Urban Graph Traversal Problem
Euler Circuits and Eulerizing Graphs: Practical Applications
Checking parking meters (discussed)
Collecting garbage
Salting icy roads
Inspecting railroad tracks
Special Requirements May Need to Be Addressed
Traffic directions
Number of streets/lanes (divided routes)
Parking time restriction
Theory Modifications Can Address Special Requirements
A digraph (directed graph) is used to show one-way street.
Arrows show restriction in traversal possibilities (not part of circuits).
Territories may need to be divided into multiple routes. 14