Polynomial Reconstruction Problem for Hypergraphs

Abstract

We show that, in general, the characteristic polynomial of a hypergraph is not determined by its ``polynomial deck'', the multiset of characteristic polynomials of its vertex-deleted subgraphs, thus settling the ``polynomial reconstruction problem'' for hypergraphs in the negative. The proof proceeds by showing that a construction due to Kocay of an infinite family of pairs of $3$-uniform hypergraphs which are non-isomorphic but share the same hypergraph deck, in fact, have different characteristic polynomials. The question remain unresolved for ordinary graphs.