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IB Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation HL · AHL 1: Graph Theory · AHL 1.6
Weighted graphs and shortest routes Problem set B One question at a time
Try each question on paper first. Open the working a line at a time, then say whether you had it.
Skills
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The graph shows the walking times, in minutes, between five rooms in a museum. Write down the weighted adjacency table.
- Rows and columns A, B, C, D, E. Put a dash on the diagonal.
- Enter each weight twice: the graph is undirected, so the table is symmetric.
- Use a dash where there is no edge.
- Check the table is symmetric.
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The directed graph shows the lengths, in km, of four one-way cycle tracks between four parks. Write down the weighted adjacency table.
- Row = the vertex the arrow leaves, column = the vertex it reaches.
- Enter each arrow once: A→B = 9, B→C = 5, C→D = 8, D→A = 6, C→A = 12, B→D = 3.
- The table is not symmetric because the arrows have a direction.
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The table shows the length, in metres, of the cable between five lamp posts in a garden. A dash means there is no direct cable.
(a) Draw the weighted graph.
- The table is symmetric, so read each edge once from the entries above the diagonal.
- Draw A, B, C, D, E and join them: AC (8), AE (15), BC (13), BD (6), CD (10), CE (12), DE (9).
- Label each edge with its weight. Edges: 7.
(b) Which lamp post has the most cables?
- Degrees: A = 2, B = 2, C = 4, D = 3, E = 3
- Vertex C has the most edges, 4.
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The table shows the time, in minutes, of the direct ferry between four islands. Each entry is the time from the row island to the column island. A dash means there is no direct ferry.
(a) Draw the weighted directed graph.
- Read each row as the arrows that leave that vertex.
- Draw A, B, C, D and the arrows: A→D (6), B→A (4), B→C (9), C→D (5), D→B (8), C→A (3).
- Each number is one arrow, with its head at the column vertex.
(b) Find the total time of the ferries that leave island B.
- Arrows leaving B: B→A (4), B→C (9)
- 4 + 9 = 13
In context
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The graph shows the distances, in km, along the paths between a hut S and a summit T. Find the shortest route.
(a) Find the shortest route from S to T.
- List every route and add the weights:
- S–B–C–T = 15; S–A–C–T = 16; S–A–T = 18; S–B–C–A–T = 27
- S–B–C–D–T = 39; S–A–C–D–T = 40
- Smallest total: S–B–C–T
(b) Write down its length.
- S–B–C–T: 5 + 6 + 4 = 15 km
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The graph shows the times, in minutes, along the roads from a school S to a stadium T.
(a) Find the shortest route from S to T and its length.
- S–B–D–T = 19; S–D–T = 20; S–B–D–A–T = 27; S–D–A–T = 28
- S–B–D–A–C–T = 34; S–D–A–C–T = 35
- Shortest: S–B–D–T, 19 minutes
(b) The road D–T closes. Find the new shortest route and its length.
- Remove every route that uses D–T.
- Routes left: S–B–D–A–T = 27; S–D–A–T = 28; S–B–D–A–C–T = 34; S–D–A–C–T = 35
- New shortest: S–B–D–A–T, 27 minutes
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The table shows the cost, in euros, of the direct bus ticket between six towns. A dash means there is no direct bus. Find the cheapest route from A to F, and its cost.
- Read each number as an edge with that weight. A dash means no direct link.
- List the routes from A to F: A–D–C–F = 86; A–D–B–C–F = 122; A–B–D–C–F = 137; A–D–B–E–C–F = 138; A–E–C–F = 138 | A–B–C–F = 145; A–B–E–C–F = 161; A–E–B–D–C–F = 172; A–E–B–C–F = 180
- Smallest total: A–D–C–F = 86 euros
Stretch
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The table shows the journey times, in minutes, between six bus stops. A dash means no direct bus.
(a) Find the shortest route from A to F and its length.
- Routes from A to F: A–E–C–F = 46; A–F = 51; A–C–F = 64; A–E–B–F = 97; A–E–C–D–F = 116 | A–C–D–F = 134; A–C–E–B–F = 145
- Smallest total: A–E–C–F = 46 minutes
(b) Stop E is closed and no route can pass through it. Find the new shortest route and its length.
- Delete every route through E.
- Routes left: A–F = 51; A–C–F = 64; A–C–D–F = 134
- New shortest: A–F = 51 minutes
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