  If X is a geodesic metric space and $x_1,x_2,x_3\in X$, a {\it geodesic
triangle} $T=\{x_1,x_2,x_3\}$ is the union of the three geodesics $[x_1x_2]$,
$[x_2x_3]$ and $[x_3x_1]$ in $X$. The space $X$ is $\delta$-\emph{hyperbolic}
$($in the Gromov sense$)$ if any side of $T$ is contained in a
$\delta$-neighborhood of the union of the two other sides, for every geodesic
triangle $T$ in $X$. We denote by $\delta(X)$ the sharp hyperbolicity constant
of $X$, i.e. $\delta(X):=\inf\{\delta\ge 0: \, X \, \text{ is
$\delta$-hyperbolic}\,\}\,. $ The main result of this paper is the inequality
$\delta(G) \le \delta(\mathcal L(G))$ for the line graph $\mathcal L(G)$ of
every graph $G$. We prove also the upper bound $\delta(\mathcal L(G)) \le 5
\delta(G)+ 3 l_{max}$, where $l_{max}$ is the supremum of the lengths of the
edges of $G$. Furthermore, if every edge of $G$ has length $k$, we obtain
$\delta(G) \le \delta(\mathcal L(G)) \le 5 \delta(G)+ 5k/2$.

Combinatorics