Incidence matrix of a network

Matrices > Basics > Example

Mathematically speaking, a network is a graph of m nodes connected by n directed arcs. Here, we assume that arcs are ordered pairs, with at most one arc joining any two nodes; we also assume that there are no self-loops (arcs from a node to itself). We do not assume that the edges of the graph are weighted — they are all similar.

We can fully describe the network with the so-called arc-node incidence matrix, which is the m times n matrix defined as

 A_{ij} = left{ begin{array}{ll} 1 & mbox{if arc } j mbox{ starts at node } i  -1 & mbox{if arc } j mbox{ ends at node } i  0 & mbox{otherwise.} end{array} right. , ;; 1 le i le m, ;; 1 le j le n.
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The figure shows the graph associated with the arc-node incidence matrix

 A = left[begin{array}{cccccccc} 1 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & -1  -1 &  0 & 1 &  0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 1  0 & -1 & -1 & -1 & 1 & 1 & 0 & 0  0 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 0 & 0 & -1 & 0    0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & -1 & 1 & 0  0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & -1 & 0 & 0 & 0  end{array}right] .

See also: Network flow.