Odd Induced Subgraphs in Graphs of Maximum Degree Four

Abstract

A graph is called odd if all of its vertex degrees are odd. A long-standing conjecture asked whether there exists a positive constant $c$ such that every $n$-vertex graph without isolated vertices contains an odd induced subgraph on at least $cn$ vertices. In 2022, Ferber and Krivelevich resolved this conjecture affirmatively with $c=10^{-4}$. A natural question is to determine the largest possible constant $c$. In 1994, Caro remarked that if $2/7$ is a valid value for $c$, then it is the largest possible one. To the best of our knowledge, the bound $c\ge 2/7$ has not been improved. Previous research has established tight bounds for specific graph classes -- for instance, $c = 2/5$ for graphs with maximum degree at most $3$ and without isolated vertices. In this paper, we prove that $c=2/7$ is the tight bound for graphs with maximum degree at most $4$ and without isolated vertices. Our result provides some support for $2/7$ being the largest value of $c$.