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Theorem

Friendship Theorem

Combinatorics and Graph Theory

The Friendship Theorem states that in a finite graph where every two vertices have exactly one common neighbor, there must exist a single vertex adjacent to every other vertex, meaning the graph consists of a collection of triangles all sharing that one common point. Proved by Paul Erdos, Alfred Renyi and Vera Sos, it is a classical result of extremal graph theory, its name drawn from the informal reading that in a group where every two people share exactly one mutual friend, someone must be everybody's friend.

Facts
Statement
The finite graphs with the property that every two vertices have exactly one neighbor in common are exactly the friendship graphs. 1
Proof Year
1966 1
Classification
Statement Form
Uniqueness Theorem 1
Connections

Has Statement Form

Entity-backed identity for the statement-form enum value this theorem already carries, resolved to a mathematics concept by an explicit value-to-entity map (phase 3 bucket conversion, docs\design_entity_backed_browse_buckets_20260928.md). The statement-form fact itself stays on the theorem unchanged.

In Branch

Source Friendship graph (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Friendship theorem, Wikipedia
  • Lead section
    the finite graphs with the property that every two vertices have exactly one neighbor in common are exactly the friendship graphs.
  • Lead section, citation
    The friendship theorem of Paul Erdos, Alfred Renyi, and Vera T. Sos (1966)
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Friendship graph (Wikipedia)
In Branch: Graph Theory, Lead sentence
Quote, In Branch: Graph Theory, Lead sentence
In the mathematical field of graph theory, the friendship graph (or Dutch windmill graph or n-fan) Fn is a planar, undirected grap
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