Solving the Wolverine Problem with Graph Coloring

Solving the Wolverine Problem with Graph Coloring | Infinite Series

2017-04-06

[public] 95.5K views, 2.67K likes, 56.0 dislikes audio only

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At one time, Wolverine served on four different superhero teams. How did he do it? He may have used graph coloring.

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Graph coloring may seem simple but the mathematics behind it is surprising difficult and it pops up in a number strange places. Kelsey discusses Sudoku, the Four Color Theorem, the Hadwiger Nelson Problem and how graph coloring can be used to schedule the most effective way to save the planet. Find out how math can defeat the combined might of Thanos, Magneto, Kang, Dormammu, Ultron, Apocalypse and Dr. Doom.

Correction: At 3:58, "Four is the maximum number of required colors"

Previous Episode - What is a Random Walk?

/youtube/video/stgYW6M5o4k

Links to other resources:

Sudoku: http://www.ams.org/notices/200706/tx070600708p.pdf

General Applications: http://web.math.princeton.edu/math_alive/5/Notes2.pdf

Page on graph colorings: https://webdocs.cs.ualberta.ca/~joe/Coloring/index.html

Book on general graph theory: http://diestel-graph-theory.com/

The Four Color Theorem - Numberphile: /youtube/video/NgbK43jB4rQ

Written and Hosted by Kelsey Houston-Edwards

Produced by Rusty Ward

Graphics by Ray Lux