The packing number of the double vertex graph of the path graph

Abstract

Neil Sloane showed that the problem of determine the maximum size of a binary code of constant weight 2 that can correct a single adjacent transposition is equivalent to finding the packing number of a certain graph. In this paper we solve this open problem by finding the packing number of the double vertex graph (2-token graph) of a path graph. This double vertex graph is isomorphic to the Sloane's graph. Our solution implies a conjecture of Rob Pratt about the ordinary generating function of sequence A085680.