Long Paths and Cycles Passing Through Specified Vertices Under the Average Degree Condition

Abstract

Let $G$ be a $k$-connected graph with $k\ge 2$. In this paper we first prove that: For two distinct vertices $x$ and $z$ in $G$, it contains a path connecting $x$ and $z$ which passes through its any $k-2$ specified vertices with length at least the average degree of the vertices other than $x$ and $z$. Further, with this result, we prove that: If $G$ has $n$ vertices and $m$ edges, then it contains a cycle of length at least $2m/(n-1)$ passing through its any $k-1$ specified vertices. Our results generalize a theorem of Fan on the existence of long paths and a classical theorem of Erdős and Gallai on the existence of long cycles under the average degree condition.