Binary weights spanning trees and the $k$-red spanning tree problem in linear time

Abstract

We address here spanning tree problems on a graph with binary edge weights. For a general weighted graph the minimum spanning tree is solved in super-linear running time, even when the edges of the graph are pre-sorted. A related problem, of finding a spanning tree with a pre-specified sum of weights, is NP-hard. In contrast, for a graph with binary weights associated with the edges, it is shown that the minimum spanning tree and finding a spanning tree with a given total sum, are solvable in linear time with simple algorithms.