The maximal semi-inducibility conjecture for the 4-vertex graph H_3

Let H3H_3 be the 4-vertex graph with blue edges {0,1}\{0,1\} and {1,2}\{1,2\} and red edge {2,3}\{2,3\}. For 0γβ10\leqslant\gamma\leqslant\beta\leqslant 1, define

p(β,γ):=β(1β)(1γ)(1β)+(1β)βγβ+β(βγ)(1γ)γ.p(\beta,\gamma):=\beta(1-\beta)(1-\gamma)(1-\beta)+(1-\beta)\beta\gamma\beta+\beta(\beta-\gamma)(1-\gamma)\gamma.

Let β\beta and γ\gamma be the roots specified by

β5103β4+2521576β3407144β2+4348β19=0\beta^5-\frac{10}{3}\beta^4+\frac{2521}{576}\beta^3-\frac{407}{144}\beta^2+\frac{43}{48}\beta-\frac19=0

and

γ43716γ3+5732γ2916γ+116=0.\gamma^4-\frac{37}{16}\gamma^3+\frac{57}{32}\gamma^2-\frac{9}{16}\gamma+\frac{1}{16}=0.

Semi-inducibility conjecture for H3H_3. The semi-induced density satisfies

λH3=p(β,γ),\lambda_{H_3}=p(\beta,\gamma),

where the relevant roots are approximately β=0.39829918\beta=0.39829918 and γ=0.28158008\gamma=0.28158008, giving p(β,γ)0.150083407311578p(\beta,\gamma)\approx 0.150083407311578.

This would round the flag-algebra lower bound for the only remaining unknown case in the table of 4-vertex graphs. The displayed construction produces the stated lower bound, and the numerical flag-algebra value appears to match it, but the authors have not been able to prove the exact value.

Sources & referencesView supporting material

Primary source

Levente Bodnár and Oleg Pikhurko, “Semi-inducibility of 4-vertex graphs”, arXiv:2510.24336 (2026).

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