An Algorithm to Generate Two-Dimensional Drawings of Conway Algebraic Knots

The problem of finding an efficient algorithm to create a two-dimensional embedding of a knot diagram is not an easy one. Typically, knots with a large number of crossings will not nicely generate two-dimensional drawings. This thesis presents an efficient algorithm to generate a knot and to create a nice two-dimensional embedding of the knot. For the purpose of this thesis a drawing is “nice” if the number of tangles in the diagram consisting of half-twists is minimal. More specifically, the algorithm generates prime, alternating Conway algebraic knots in O(<i>n</i>) time where <i>n</i> is the number of crossings in the knot, and it derives a precise representation of the knot’s nice drawing in O(<i>n</i>) time (The rendering of the drawing is not O(<i>n</i>).). <br> Central to the algorithm is a special type of rooted binary tree which represents a distinct prime, alternating Conway algebraic knot. Each leaf in the tree represents a crossing in the knot. The algorithm first generates the tree and then modifies such a tree repeatedly to reduce the number of its leaves while ensuring that the knot type associated with the tree is not modified. The result of the algorithm is a tree (for the knot) with a minimum number of leaves. This minimum tree is the basis of deriving a 4-regular plane map which represents the knot embedding and to finally draw the knot’s diagram.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Mathematics and Computer Science

Year

2010

Author dc:creator

• Tung, Jen-Fu

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Uta Ziegler (Director), Dr. Claus Ernst, Dr. Mustafa Atici

• knot theory
• Conway algebraic knots
• discrete mathematics
• Discrete Mathematics and Combinatorics
• Mathematics
• Numerical Analysis and Computation

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/163

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.wku.edu:theses-1164