The inequality can be strict - there are graphs "G" for which γ("G") < "i"("G"). For example, let "G" be the "double star graph" consisting of vertices "x1", ..., "xp", "a", "b", "y1", ..., "yq", where "p", "q" > 1. The edges of "G" are defined as follows: each "xi" is adjacent to "a", "a" is adjacent to "b", and "b" is adjacent to each "bj". Then γ("G") = 2 since {"a", "b"} is a smallest dominating set. If "p" ≤ "q", then "i"("G") = "p" + 1 since {"x1", ..., "xp", b} is a smallest dominating set that is also independent (it is a smallest maximal independent set).