Characterizing Graph Drawing with Eigenvectors

Two definitions of the problem of graph drawing are considered, and an analytical solution is provided for each of them. The solutions obtained make use of the eigenvectors of the Laplacian matrix of a related structure. The procedures give good results for symmetrical graphs, and they have already been used for drawing fullerene molecules in the literature. The analysis characterizes precisely what problems the two procedures are solving. It also illuminates why they can perform unsatisfactorily on asymmetrical graphs.