9.4. Working with Graphs
A graph is a collection of nodes that interconnect with each other arbitrarily. (A tree is a special case of a graph.) We will not delve deeply into the subject of graphs because the theory and terminology can have a steep learning curve. Before long, we would find ourselves wandering out of the field of computer science entirely and into the province of mathematicians.
Yet graphs do have many practical applications. Consider any ordinary highway map with highways connecting cities, or consider a circuit diagram. These are both best represented as graphs. A computer network can be thought of in terms of graph theory, whether it is a LAN of a dozen systems or the Internet itself with its countless millions of nodes.
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