On wikipedia it says that
Adding just one edge to a spanning tree will create a cycle; such a cycle is called a fundamental cycle. There is a distinct fundamental cycle for each edge not in the spanning tree; thus, there is a one-to-one correspondence between fundamental cycles and edges not in the spanning tree.
What if i have a graph like this
1----2
| |
3 4
and add edge 3-4
1----2
| |
3----4
There will be indeed only one new cycle but what if i add 1-4? i will then have 2 more cycles 1-4-3 and 1-4-2.
Where am i wrong ?
i am trying to understand how this formula works
For a connected graph with V vertices, any spanning tree will have V − 1 edges, and thus, a graph of E edges and one of its spanning trees will have E − V + 1 fundamental cycles
Thanks in advance !
Best Answer
1-2-4 is a new fundamental cycle, but 1-3-4 is not a fundamental cycle. (A fundamental cycle will have only one edge not belonging to the original tree.)