Unlike textbooks where exercises are optional, Marcus’s problems are mandatory reading. They are structured like a conversation. Each problem builds on the last. If you solve Problem 14, you have implicitly built the tools for Problem 15. It is impossible to get lost.
You are specifically looking for a PDF. This is not an accident. Here is why the digital format is superior for this particular textbook:
You have the file. Now, do not just read it. Follow this protocol:
Graph theory studies relationships (edges) between objects (vertices). Originating in Euler’s 1736 solution to the Königsberg bridges problem, it now underpins computer science, combinatorics, network analysis, optimization, and many applied fields. A problem-oriented approach teaches concepts by working through representative problems and proof techniques, building intuition and transferable problem-solving skills.
Degree, handshaking lemma
Paths, cycles, connectivity
Trees and forests
Eulerian and Hamiltonian properties
Matchings and factors
Planarity and graph drawing
Graph coloring
Extremal graph theory
Spectral graph theory (brief)
Random graphs and probabilistic method
Network flows and cuts
Advanced topics (brief overviews)
A high-quality PDF for a problem-oriented approach should include:
When choosing PDFs look for problem books by authors known for combinatorics/graph theory and algorithm textbooks that include exercises—especially those that explicitly say "problems" or "problem-solving approach."
The keyword includes "pdf best," implying quality (searchable, high-resolution, with clear diagrams). Here are your best sources:
Warning: Avoid random "free PDF" sites. Graph theory diagrams are often rasterized poorly on pirate sites—vertices look like blobs, text is misaligned. For a problem-oriented book, clarity of the diagrams is non-negotiable.