Tutte matrix explained

In graph theory, the Tutte matrix A of a graph G = (VE) is a matrix used to determine the existence of a perfect matching: that is, a set of edges which is incident with each vertex exactly once.

If the set of vertices is

V=\{1,2,...,n\}

then the Tutte matrix is an n-by-n matrix A with entries

Aij=\begin{cases}xij  if(i,j)\inEandi<j\\ -xji  if(i,j)\inEandi>j\\ 0    otherwise\end{cases}

where the xij are indeterminates. The determinant of this skew-symmetric matrix is then a polynomial (in the variables xiji < j): this coincides with the square of the pfaffian of the matrix A and is non-zero (as a polynomial) if and only if a perfect matching exists. (This polynomial is not the Tutte polynomial of G.)

The Tutte matrix is named after W. T. Tutte, and is a generalisation of the Edmonds matrix for a balanced bipartite graph.

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