(This is an old MSE question from me, which did not get any answer, and when looking back seems interesting to post it here:)
Let $G$ be a finite group. Consider the set $X_G:=\cup_{H\le G} G/H$, where the disjoint union is taken over all left cosets of the subgroups $H \le G$. Let $S \subset G$ be a generating set for $G$ and $|g| :=$ word length with respect to $S$. For a left coset $gH$ define $|gH| := \min_{ h\in H} |gh|$. Define $\pi(G,t) = \sum_{x \in X_G} t^{|x|}$. Then $\pi(G,1) = |X_G|$. For $G =\mathbb{Z}/(n) \equiv C_n$ the cyclic group and $S=\{+1\}$, it seems that
$\pi(G,-1) = $ number of odd divisors of $n$ (OEIS: A001227). (1)
For $G =\mathbb{Z}/(n) \equiv C_n$ the cyclic group and $S=\{\pm1\}$, it seems that
$\pi(G,-1) = $ #(of divisors of $n$ of the form $4m+1$)$-$#(of divisors of $n$ of the form $4m+3$), (OEIS: A002654).
So this $\pi(G,t)$ is a polynomial which when inserting the $2$-th roots of unity, counts something. My conjecture is, that $(X_G, C_2, \pi(G,t))$ exhibits the cyclic sieving phenomenon, but for this I need a group action from the cyclic group $C_2$ to $X_G$ such that (1) is fullfilled:
$\pi(C_n,-1) = |X_{C_n}^{-1}| = $ number of odd divisors of $n$.
However, I tried $c*gH = g^{-1}H$ for $C_2 = \{1,c\}$ but this action, although natural, does not give the desired property, and I do not have a polynomial for this action to get a cyclic sieving phenomenon.
So my question is:
- For the cyclic group $G:=C_n$, how does one define an action from $C_2$ to $X_{C_n}$ such that (1) is fullfilled? You do not have to prove that (1) is fullfilled, numerical coincidences should be ok for the first.
- If there is such an action in 1), is it possible to define this for an arbitrary finite group $G$, hence $C_2$ acts on $X_G$?
Thanks for your help!