The Four Color Theorem: A Constructive Proof and a Coloring Algorithm
In this version, the proof has become shorter and, in our view, clearer. The proof is now based on a single mechanism — the forced chain. K₄ and odd stars are treated as special cases of this mechanism. A demonstration of the algorithm has also been added, showing how it sequentially finds forced chains, splits edges, and arrives at a 4-coloring.
Authors
- Vasilii Kostin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-0155-5328)
Institutions
- Independent University of Moscow (RU)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
- Published
- 2026-07-23
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21514884
- Primary Topic
- Advanced Mathematical Theories
- Type
- preprint