α-Labelings and the Structure of Trees with Nonzero α-Deficit

We present theoretical and computational results on α -labelings of trees. The theorems proved in this paper were inspired by the results of a computer investigation of α -labelings of all trees with up to 26 vertices, all trees with maximum degree 3 and up to 36 vertices, all trees with maximum degree 4 and up to 32 vertices and all trees with maximum degree 5 and up to 31 vertices. We generalise a criterion for trees to have nonzero α -deficit, and prove an unexpected result on the α -deficit of trees with a vertex of large degree compared to the order of the tree.