On the hyperbolicity of edge-chordal and path-chordal graphs

Abstract

If X is a geodesic metric space and x1, x2, x3 ( X, a geodesic triangle T = {x1, x2, x3} is the union of the three geodesics [x1x2], [x2x3] and [x3x1] in X. The space X is ?-hyperbolic (in the Gromov sense) if any side of T is contained in a ?-neighborhood of the union of the other two sides, for every geodesic triangle T in X. An important problem in the study of hyperbolic graphs is to relate the hyperbolicity with some classical properties in graph theory. In this paper we find a very close connection between hyperbolicity and chordality: we extend the classical definition of chordality in two ways, edge-chordality and path-chordality, in order to relate this propertywith Gromov hyperbolicity. In fact, we prove that every edge-chordal graph is hyperbolic and that every hyperbolic graph is path-chordal. Furthermore, we prove that every path-chordal cubic graph with small path-chordality constant is hyperbolic.