Abstract
An algorithm is given for computing the values of the characteristic polynomial of a tree. Its time complexity is linear; hence, the polynomial is readily accessible from the tree and no computation is necessary to get the polynomial ready for applications. If necessary, the coefficients can be determined in time O(n 2). This improves the complexity O(n 3), reached by Tinhofer and Schreck, to O(1).
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received by the Publisher 20 September 1989
This work was supported in part by the Research Council of Slovenia, Yugoslavia.
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Mohar, B. Computing the characteristic polynomial of a tree. J Math Chem 3, 403–406 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01169021
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01169021