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Advanced Graph Algorithms Questions

Higher level and combined graph algorithm topics frequently expected at senior or competitive programming levels. Topics include strongly connected components and algorithms such as Kosaraju and Tarjan, minimum spanning trees using Kruskal and Prim with Union Find optimizations, network flow fundamentals including Ford Fulkerson and Edmonds Karp and applications to bipartite matching, graph reductions and transformations, graph coloring and bipartite checks, advanced traversal techniques such as bidirectional search and multi source traversals, and strategies to combine algorithms for complex problems. Emphasize time and space complexity, algorithm correctness proofs, implementation pitfalls, and when to prefer one algorithm or data structure over another.

MediumTechnical
94 practiced
Explain the relation between maximum flow and minimum s-t cut. Given a max-flow result on a residual graph, describe how to extract a minimum cut (set of edges) whose removal disconnects s and t. Discuss runtime to extract the cut and how this can be used to find critical edges in a network.
HardTechnical
74 practiced
The Steiner Tree problem is NP-hard. Describe the Dreyfus–Wagner dynamic programming algorithm that computes an exact Steiner tree for small terminal sets (k terminals) with complexity O(3^k * n + 2^k * n log n) outline, and contrast this with a practical approximation using MST on metric closure. Explain trade-offs and when to use exact vs approximate.
EasyTechnical
79 practiced
Explain the difference between multi-source BFS and running single-source BFS from each source independently. When is multi-source BFS preferable? How does this concept extend to weighted graphs (multi-source Dijkstra)? Provide a short code sketch or description for both cases.
MediumTechnical
76 practiced
Implement Edmonds–Karp (BFS-based Ford–Fulkerson) for maximum flow in Python. Input: n, directed edges list (u, v, capacity), source s, sink t. Return integer max flow. Explain why Edmonds–Karp runs in O(V * E^2) worst-case and suggest optimizations for better practical performance.
MediumTechnical
71 practiced
Implement Tarjan's algorithm (low-link) to find SCCs in one DFS pass. Provide either C++ or Java code that returns list of components and analyze the O(V + E) runtime. Explain how low-link values and the stack are used and point out common implementation pitfalls.

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