The main result of this paper is a coefficient formula that sharpens and generalizes Alon and Tarsi's Combinatorial Nullstellensatz. On its own, it is a result about polynomials, providing some information about the polynomial map $P|_{\mathfrak{X}_1\times\cdots\times\mathfrak{X}_n}$ when only incomplete information about the polynomial $P(X_1,\dots,X_n)$ is given.In a very general working frame, the grid points $x\in \mathfrak{X}_1\times\cdots\times\mathfrak{X}_n$ which do not vanish under an algebraic solution – a certain describing polynomial $P(X_1,\dots,X_n)$ – correspond to the explicit solutions of a problem. As a consequence of the coefficient formula, we prove that the existence of an algebraic solution is equivalent to the existence of a nontrivial solution to a problem. By a problem, we mean everything that "owns" both, a set ${\cal S}$, which may be called the set of solutions; and a subset ${\cal S}_{\rm triv}\subseteq{\cal S}$, the set of trivial solutions.We give several examples of how to find algebraic solutions, and how to apply our coefficient formula. These examples are mainly from graph theory and combinatorial number theory, but we also prove several versions of Chevalley and Warning's Theorem, including a generalization of Olson's Theorem, as examples and useful corollaries.We obtain a permanent formula by applying our coefficient formula to the matrix polynomial, which is a generalization of the graph polynomial. This formula is an integrative generalization and sharpening of:1. Ryser's permanent formula.2. Alon's Permanent Lemma.3. Alon and Tarsi's Theorem about orientations and colorings of graphs.Furthermore, in combination with the Vigneron-Ellingham-Goddyn property of planar $n$-regular graphs, the formula contains as very special cases:4. Scheim's formula for the number of edge $n$-colorings of such graphs.5. Ellingham and Goddyn's partial answer to the list coloring conjecture.
We introduce a coloring game on graphs, in which each vertex $v$ of a graph $G$ owns a stack of $\ell_v{-}1$ erasers. In each round of this game the first player Mr. Paint takes an unused color, and colors some of the uncolored vertices. He might color adjacent vertices with this color – something which is considered "incorrect". However, Mrs. Correct is positioned next to him, and corrects his incorrect coloring, i.e., she uses up some of the erasers – while stocks (stacks) last – to partially undo his assignment of the new color. If she has a winning strategy, i.e., she is able to enforce a correct and complete final graph coloring, then we say that $G$ is $\ell$-paintable. Our game provides an adequate game-theoretic approach to list coloring problems. The new concept is actually more general than the common setting with lists of available colors. It could have applications in time scheduling, when the available time slots are not known in advance. We give an example that shows that the two notions are not equivalent; $\ell$-paintability is stronger than $\ell$-list colorability. Nevertheless, many deep theorems about list colorability remain true in the context of paintability. We demonstrate this fact by proving strengthened versions of classical list coloring theorems. Among the obtained extensions are paintability versions of Thomassen's, Galvin's and Shannon's Theorems.
We present a purely combinatorial proof of Alon and Tarsi's Theorem about list colorings and orientations of graphs. More precisely, we describe a winning strategy for Mrs. Correct in the corresponding coloring game of Mr. Paint and Mrs. Correct. This strategy produces correct vertex colorings, even if the colors are taken from lists that are not completely fixed before the coloration process starts. The resulting strengthening of Alon and Tarsi's Theorem leads also to strengthening of its numerous repercussions. For example we study upper bounds for list chromatic numbers of bipartite graphs and list chromatic indices of complete graphs. As real life application, we examine a chess tournament time scheduling problem with unreliable participants.
We study the list coloring number of $k$-uniform $k$-partite hypergraphs. Answering a question of Ramamurthi and West, we present a new upper bound which generalizes Alon and Tarsi's bound for bipartite graphs, the case $k=2$. Our results hold even for paintability (on" line list colorability). To prove this additional strengthening, we provide a new subject"=specific version of the Combinatorial Nullstellensatz.
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