Editing Three utilities problem (section)

==Properties of the utility graph==
Beyond the utility puzzle, the same graph <math>K_{3,3}</math> comes up in several other mathematical contexts, including [[Structural rigidity|rigidity theory]], the classification of [[Cage (graph theory)|cages]] and [[well-covered graph]]s, the study of [[crossing number (graph theory)|graph crossing numbers]], and the theory of [[graph minor]]s.

===Rigidity===
The utility graph <math>K_{3,3}</math> is a [[Laman graph]], meaning that for [[almost all]] placements of its vertices in the plane, there is no way to continuously move its vertices while preserving all edge lengths, other than by a [[Rigid transformation|rigid motion]] of the whole plane, and that none of its [[spanning subgraph]]s have the same [[rigid system|rigidity]] property. It is the smallest example of a nonplanar Laman graph.{{r|streinu}} Despite being a minimally rigid graph, it has non-rigid embeddings with special placements for its vertices.{{r|dixon|wh07}} For general-position embeddings, a [[polynomial equation]] describing all possible placements with the same edge lengths has degree 16, meaning that in general there can be at most 16 placements with the same lengths. It is possible to find systems of edge lengths for which up to eight of the solutions to this equation describe realizable placements.{{r|wh07}}

===Other graph-theoretic properties===
<math>K_{3,3}</math> is a [[triangle-free graph]], in which every vertex has exactly three neighbors (a [[cubic graph]]). Among all such graphs, it is the smallest. Therefore, it is the [[Cage (graph theory)|(3,4)-cage]], the smallest graph that has three neighbors per vertex and in which the shortest cycle has length four.{{r|tutte}}

Like all other [[complete bipartite graph]]s, it is a [[well-covered graph]], meaning that every [[maximal independent set]] has the same size. In this graph, the only two maximal independent sets are the two sides of the bipartition, and are of equal sizes. <math>K_{3,3}</math> is one of only seven [[cubic graph|3-regular]] [[k-vertex-connected graph|3-connected]] well-covered graphs.{{r|cer93}}

===Generalizations===
[[File:K33 one crossing.svg|thumb|upright=0.5|Drawing of <math>K_{3,3}</math> with one crossing]]
Two important characterizations of planar graphs, [[Kuratowski's theorem]] that the planar graphs are exactly the graphs that contain neither <math>K_{3,3}</math> nor the [[complete graph]] <math>K_5</math> as a subdivision, and [[Wagner's theorem]] that the planar graphs are exactly the graphs that contain neither <math>K_{3,3}</math> nor <math>K_5</math> as a [[minor (graph theory)|minor]], make use of and generalize the non-planarity of <math>K_{3,3}</math>.{{r|little}}

[[Pál Turán]]'s "[[Turán's brick factory problem|brick factory problem]]" asks more generally for a formula for the [[crossing number (graph theory)|minimum number of crossings]] in a drawing of the [[complete bipartite graph]] <math>K_{a,b}</math> in terms of the numbers of vertices <math>a</math> and <math>b</math> on the two sides of the bipartition. The utility graph <math>K_{3,3}</math> may be drawn with only one crossing, but not with zero crossings, so its crossing number is one.{{r|early|ps09}}{{Clear|left}}