Layered graph traversals and Hamiltonian path problems — an algebraic approach

Using an algebra of paths we present abstract algebraic derivations for two problem classes concerning graphs, viz. layer oriented traversal and computing sets of Hamiltonian paths. In the first case, we are even able to abstract to the very general setting of Kleene algebras. Applications include reachability and a shortest path problem as well as topological sorting and finding maximum cardinality matchings