Faster algorithms for cograph edge modification problems

Abstract: In the Cograph Deletion (resp., Cograph Editing) problem the input is a graph $G$ and an integer $k$, and the goal is to decide whether there is a set of edges of size at most $k$ whose removal from $G$ (resp., removal and addition to $G$) results in a graph that does not contain an induced path with four vertices. In this paper we give algorithms for Cograph Deletion and Cograph Editing whose running times are $O^*(2.303^k)$ and $O^*(4.329^k)$, respectively.