$K_{2, t+1}$-free graphs containing an optimal number of $K_{t, t}$'s

Abstract

The generalized Turán number $ex(n, K_{t, t}, K_{2, t+1})$ is the maximum number of copies of $K_{t, t}$ that a $K_{2, t+1}$-free graph on $n$ vertices can contain. Recently, Pohoata, Tidor, and Yu established that $ex(n, K_{t, t}, K_{2, t+1}) = Θ_t(n^2)$ for all integers $t \geq 3$. In this short note, we use an explicit construction to establish that when $t$ is a prime power and $n = t^{2e - 1}$, then $$ ex(n, K_{t, t}, K_{2, t+1}) = (1 + o(1))\frac{n^2}{2t(t-1)}. $$