What is the difference between a node and a vertex?

graph tree nodes vertex
Marc Rasmussen picture Marc Rasmussen · Jan 1, 2013 · Viewed 18.3k times · Source

What is the difference (if any) between a node and a vertex? I can't find the answer after looking at countless sites! Even my book doesn't specify it so I am kind of lost!

It is worth mentioning that I am looking for the difference besides the fact that it is called a 'vertex' when used in a graph and a 'node' when used in a tree.

Answer

mamdouh alramadan picture mamdouh alramadan · Jan 1, 2013

There are no differences between the words Node and Vertex. Even in some books that explain graph theory and graph algorithms they name it as:

Vertex denoted by v, and sometimes it's called nodes also

There are no major nor minor differences between them.

This is mentioned in the book: Data structure and Algorithms with Object Oriented Design Patterns in C#, Bruno R, Preiss.

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