Graph Traversal and Linear Programs

Besides breadth first search, which we saw in class in relation to Dijkstra’s algorithm, there is one other fundamental algorithm for searching a graph: depth first search. To better understand the need for these procedures, let us imagine the computer’s view of a graph that has been input into it, in the adjacency list representation. The computer’s view is fundamentally local to a specific vertex: it can examine each of the edges adjacent to a vertex in turn, by traversing its adjacency list; it can also mark vertices as visited. One way to think of these operations is to imagine exploring a dark maze with a flashlight and a piece of chalk. You are allowed to illuminate any corridor of the maze emanating from your current position, and you are also allowed to use the chalk to mark your current location in the maze as having been visited. The question is how to find your way around the maze.