Planar Projections of Graphs

Abstract

We introduce and study a new graph representation where vertices are embedded in three or more dimensions, and in which the edges are drawn on the projections onto the axis-parallel planes. We show that the complete graph on n vertices has a representation in n/2+1 planes. In 3 dimensions, we show that there exist graphs with 6n − 15 edges that can be projected onto two orthogonal planes, and that this is best possible. Finally, we obtain bounds in terms of parameters such as geometric thickness and linear arboricity. Using such a bound, we show that every graph of maximum degree 5 has a plane-projectable representation in 3 dimensions.