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13 votes
2 answers
2k views

Riemann zeta function at positive integers and an Appell sequence of polynomials related to fractional calculus

I was exploring some raising and lowering operators related to an infinitesimal generator for fractional integro-derivatives and found an Appell sequence of polynomials, i.e., an infinite sequence of ...
Tom Copeland's user avatar
  • 10.5k
11 votes
1 answer
2k views

Cycling through the Zeta Garden: Zeta functions for graphs, cycle index polynomials, and determinants

Zeta functions abound in mathematics. Audrey Terras describes in Zeta Functions and Chaos three zeta functions--the zeta fct. of a projective non-singular algebraic variety; the Artin-Mazur zeta ...
Tom Copeland's user avatar
  • 10.5k
7 votes
0 answers
579 views

Guises of the noncrossing partitions (NCPs)

From "Noncrossing partitions in surprising locations" by Jon McCammond: Certain mathematical structures make a habit of reoccuring in the most diverse list of settings. Some obvious ...
Tom Copeland's user avatar
  • 10.5k
9 votes
2 answers
679 views

Сlosed formula for $(g\partial)^n$

The objective is to obtain a closed formula for: $$ \boxed{A(n)=\big(g(z)\,\partial_z\big)^n,\qquad n=1,2,\dots} $$ where $g(z)$ is smooth in $z$ and $\partial_z$ is a derivative with respect to $z$. ...
Wakabaloola's user avatar
17 votes
1 answer
502 views

Irreducibility of root-height generating polynomial

The height $ht(\alpha)$ of a positive root $\alpha$ in a (finite, crystallographic) root system $\Phi$ is $\sum_{i=1}^n c_i$ where $\alpha = \sum_{i=1}^n c_i \alpha_i$ is its decomposition as a sum of ...
Christian Gaetz's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
498 views

Loday's characterization and enumeration of faces of associahedra (Stasheff polytopes)

From "The multiple facets of the associahedra" by Loday: Let us consider the formal power series $$f(x) = x+a_1 x^2 +a_2 x^3 + \cdots+ a_n x^{n+1} + \cdots$$ and let $$ g(x) = x+b_1 x^2 + ...
Tom Copeland's user avatar
  • 10.5k
2 votes
1 answer
404 views

Relating face polytopes of permutohedra to integer partitions

The OEIS entries A019538, A049019, and A133314, relate a refinement of the face polynomials of the permutohedra (A049019) to partition polynomials (A133314) defined by multiplicative inversion of an ...
Tom Copeland's user avatar
  • 10.5k
67 votes
6 answers
7k views

How to recognise that the polynomial method might work

A couple of days ago I was at a nice seminar given by Christian Reiher, during which he told us about a short proof of the following special case of a theorem of Olson. Theorem. Let $(a_1,b_1),\dots,(...
gowers's user avatar
  • 29k
37 votes
2 answers
3k views

A question on maps from $\mathbb{Z}/p\mathbb{Z}$ to itself

Let $p\geq 3$ be a prime number, and let $u:\mathbb{Z}/p\mathbb{Z}\to \mathbb{Z}/p\mathbb{Z}$ be a map such that, for all $l\in \mathbb{Z}/p\mathbb{Z}$,$l\neq 0$, the map $k\mapsto u(k+l)-u(k)$ is a ...
Jean-Marc Schlenker's user avatar
20 votes
1 answer
1k views

Symmetric polynomial from graphs

Let $g$ be a directed, connected multigraph, on $n$ vertices, without loops. Define $$P_g(x_1,\dots,x_n) := Sym\left[ \prod_{(i,j) \in g} (x_i-x_j) \right]$$ where $(i,j)$ is the directed edge ...
Per Alexandersson's user avatar
13 votes
1 answer
1k views

Irreducibility of Schur polynomials

A natural question covering both this and this question would be Let $n>2$. Describe Young diagrams $\lambda$ with at most $n$ nonempty rows (or equivalently non-increasing sequences $\lambda=(\...
Vladimir Dotsenko's user avatar
9 votes
0 answers
359 views

Factorisation of a polynomial from the Boolean algebra

Let $B_n$ denote the Boolean algebra of a set with $n \geq 2$ elements and $C_n$ the matrix with entries $c_{i,j}=1$ if $i \leq j$ and $c_{i,j}=0$ else, where $i,j\in B_n$. Let $M_n:=C_n+C_n^T$ and $...
Mare's user avatar
  • 26.5k
1 vote
0 answers
216 views

Classical and free cumulants, symmetric functions, and inverses (references), related to associahedra, parking functions, noncrossing partitions

Looking for references for one or more of the following four sets of partition polynomials 1a) through 4a), particularly those which present geometric / topological combinatorial interpretations. ...
Tom Copeland's user avatar
  • 10.5k
18 votes
3 answers
860 views

$\prod_k(x\pm k)$ in binomial basis?

Let $x$ be an indeterminate and $n$ a non-negative integer. Question. The following seems to be true. Is it? $$x\prod_{k=1}^n(k^2-x^2)=\frac1{4^n}\sum_{m=0}^n\binom{n-x}m\binom{n+x}{n-m}(x+2m-n)^...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
11 votes
1 answer
339 views

Analogue of conic sections for the permutohedra, associahedra, and noncrossing partitions

Slicing cones in various ways with a plane generates conic sections identified geometrically as hyperbolas, parabolas, or ellipses and algebraically, when suitably rotated, as certain rescaled ...
Tom Copeland's user avatar
  • 10.5k
8 votes
2 answers
484 views

Inductive definition of Bernstein polynomials

For $n\in \mathbb{N}$ let $B_n$ be the linear operator taking a function $f$ on the unit interval $I=[0,1]$ to its $n$-th Bernstein polynomial $B_nf$, $$ B_nf(x):=\sum_{k=0}^n\binom{n}{k} f\Big(\...
Pietro Majer's user avatar
  • 60.5k
7 votes
2 answers
789 views

"MultiCatalan numbers"

Could anyone provide a reference for the following (sort of) generalization of Catalan numbers: the multinomial coefficient $$ \binom{2k_1+3k_2+4k_3+...}{k_1+2k_2+3k_3+...,k_1,k_2,k_3,...} $$ is ...
მამუკა ჯიბლაძე's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
303 views

Large gaps between consecutive irreducible polynomials with small heights

For a prime gap of length at least $n$, a trivial upper bound for its first occurrence is $N=n!$ or $N=lcm(2,\dots,n)$. A bit better is $N=p_1\cdots p_n$ where $p_k$ is the $k$th prime, as then $N+2,\...
Wolfgang's user avatar
  • 13.4k
6 votes
1 answer
521 views

Is every polynomial a factor of a trinomial?

We say that $T(X) \in \mathbb{Q}[X]$ is a trinomial if there exist $A,B,C \in \mathbb{Q}$ such that $T(X) = AX^n + BX^m + C$ for some $n \geq m \in \mathbb{N}$. Is it true that for each irreducible ...
Pablo's user avatar
  • 11.3k
4 votes
1 answer
239 views

A discrete operator begets even/odd polynomials

Given a function $f(x)$ define the forward shift operator by $Ef(x)=f(x+1)$ and the discrete derivative $\delta f(x)=(E-1)f(x)=f(x+1)-f(x)$. Given a partition $\lambda=(\lambda_1,\lambda_2,\dots,\...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
452 views

Guess the next polynoms in the sequence (MO vs. AI :), count anticommuting $F_p$-matrices, P. Hrubeš conjecture

Here is a sequence of polynoms - (presumably) counting N-tuples of ANTI-commuting 2x2 matrices over $F_p, p>2$. (That is just the case of 2x2 matrices, and (surprisingly) it is not so easy to see a ...
Alexander Chervov's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
264 views

Guises of the refined Eulerian numbers, generated by tangent vectors (OEIS A145271)

The Eulerian numbers (OEIS A008292, not to be confused with the Euler numbers) pop up in numerous scenarios in combinatorics and advanced analysis, one as the components of the h-vectors of the ...
Tom Copeland's user avatar
  • 10.5k
2 votes
0 answers
185 views

Infinite products from the fake Laver tables-Now with no set theory

We say that a sequence of algebras $(\{1,\dots,2^{n}\},*_{n})_{n\in\omega}$ is an inverse system of fake Laver tables if for $x\in\{1,\dots,2^{n}\}$, we have $2^{n}*_{n}x=x$, $x*_{n}1=x+1\mod 2^{n}$,...
Joseph Van Name's user avatar
38 votes
6 answers
4k views

Number of real roots of 0,1 polynomial

$0,1$ polynomial has coefficients from $\{0,1\}$. I investigate the number of roots in such polynomials. We are talking about real roots, and multiples are counted only once. It was found numerically ...
Denis Ivanov's user avatar
28 votes
1 answer
2k views

How many polynomial Morse functions on the sphere?

Let $f$ be a homogeneous polynomial of degree $d$ in $n$ variables. Restricted to the unit sphere $S^{n-1}$, it might or might not be a Morse function. If $f$ is a Morse function of degree $1$, you ...
Will Sawin's user avatar
  • 148k
26 votes
4 answers
2k views

$\binom{x}{2}+\binom{x}{4}+\cdots+\binom{x}{2u}$ is a convex function on $[0,+\infty)$?

Let $f(x)=\binom{x}{2}+\binom{x}{4}+\cdots+\binom{x}{2u}$, where $u\in\mathbb{Z}^+$ and $\binom{x}{l}=\frac{x(x-1)\dots(x-l+1)}{l!}$ for all $l\in\mathbb{Z}^+$. Then can we prove $f(x)$ is a convex ...
Anyu's user avatar
  • 271
26 votes
0 answers
910 views

Which sets of roots of unity give a polynomial with nonnegative coefficients?

The question in brief:   When does a subset $S$ of the complex $n$th roots of unity have the property that $$\prod_{\alpha\, \in \,S} (z-\alpha)$$ gives a polynomial in $\mathbb R[z]$ with ...
Louis Deaett's user avatar
  • 1,513
25 votes
6 answers
2k views

Relations between sums of powers

This question is so naive that it could have been asked before on this site. If so, I'll delete it. Among beautiful formula, I like a lot this one: $$\left(\sum_{n=1}^Nn\right)^2=\sum_{n=1}^Nn^3.$$ ...
Denis Serre's user avatar
  • 52.3k
21 votes
2 answers
548 views

Do these polynomials have alternating coefficients?

In answering another MathOverflow question, I stumbled across the sequence of polynomials $Q_n(p)$ defined by the recurrence $$Q_n(p) = 1-\sum_{k=2}^{n-1} \binom{n-2}{k-2}(1-p)^{k(n-k)}Q_k(p).$$ Thus: ...
François G. Dorais's user avatar
21 votes
2 answers
2k views

Real rootedness of a polynomial

Let's consider $m$ and $n$ arbitrary positive integers, with $m\leq n$, and the polynomial given by: $$ P_{m,n}(t) := \sum_{j=0}^m \binom{m}{j}\binom{n}{j} t^j$$ I've found with Sage that for every $...
Luis Ferroni's user avatar
  • 1,889
16 votes
3 answers
2k views

Periodic orbits and polynomials

There are two simple and classic enumerations that still I'm puzzled about. Let's start with a simple counting problem from a well-known dynamical system. fact 1 Consider the "tent map" f:[0,1]→[...
Pietro Majer's user avatar
  • 60.5k
14 votes
2 answers
1k views

Number of nonzero terms in polynomial expansion (lower bounds)

Let $f(x) = a_1x^{z_1} + a_2x^{z_2} + \cdots + a_kx^{z_k}$ be a polynomial with coefficients $(a_1, \ldots, a_k) \in \mathbb{F}_q^*$ and $z_i$ are distinct positive integers. If I need to compute the ...
Lucas Perin's user avatar
13 votes
0 answers
385 views

Are the zeros of Tutte polynomials dense in $\mathbb C^2$?

For the chromatic polynomials of graphs we have two nice theorems which describe the behavior of their zeros: Thomassen proved that the set of real zeros of all chromatic polynomials is the union of $\...
Gjergji Zaimi's user avatar
13 votes
1 answer
228 views

Recognizing algebraic independence among Schur polynomials

Given a set of integer partitions $\{\lambda_1, \lambda_2,\dots \lambda_n\}$. Are there combinatorial criteria for deciding whether the associated Schur polynomials $s_{\lambda_1}, s_{\lambda_2},\dots ...
Gjergji Zaimi's user avatar
12 votes
2 answers
660 views

On shifted symmetric power sums

The functions $p^*_k(x)=\sum_{i=1}^N ((x_i-i)^k-(-i)^k)$ are analogues of power sum symmetric functions, called shifted symmetric by Okounkov and Olshanski. Define $p^*_{(k_1,k_2,...)}=p^*_{k_1}p^*_{...
Marcel's user avatar
  • 2,552
11 votes
1 answer
722 views

A closed formula for $A_n(X)=\sum\limits_{i=0}^n X^{i^2}$

I want to know if there exists a closed formula for sum $A_n(X)=\sum \limits_{i=0}^n X^{i^2}$. I have found if $n$ is odd then $(X^n+1)\text{ | } A_n(X)$, but I don't have found a closed formula.
Dattier's user avatar
  • 4,074
11 votes
4 answers
1k views

What is the correspondence between combinatorial problems and the location of the zeroes of polynomials called?

(From MSE) In the wikipedia article on the Italian-born American mathematician and philosopher Gian-Carlo Rota, it is stated that the one combinatorial idea he would like to be remembered for ".....
Max Lonysa Muller's user avatar
11 votes
0 answers
676 views

Evaluating products of cyclotomic polynomials at roots of unity

Are there general non-trivial conditions on $p(\cdot)$ and $n$, where $p(\cdot)$ is a product of cyclotomic polynomials and $n$ is a positive integer, such that all the coefficients of $p(\cdot)$ are ...
James Propp's user avatar
  • 19.7k
10 votes
2 answers
498 views

Explicit expression for recursive sums

Let $t_1,t_2,\dots,t_k$ be non-negative integers. Can the following sum $$f_k(t_1,t_2,\dots,t_k):=\sum_{j_1=0}^{t_1} \sum_{j_2=0}^{t_2+j_1} \sum_{j_3=0}^{t_2+j_2} \dots \sum_{j_k=0}^{t_k+j_{k-1}} 1$$ ...
Max Alekseyev's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
1k views

"Laurent phenomenon"?

Define the recurrence \begin{align*} n(2n+x-3)u_n(x) &=2(2n+x-2)(4n^2+4nx-8n-3x+3)u_{n-1}(x) \\ &-4(n+x-2)(2n-3)(2n+2x-3)(2n+x-1)u_{n-2}(x) \end{align*} with initial conditions $u_0(x)=0$ and $...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
538 views

Counting monomials in product polynomials: Part I

This question is motivated by recent work of R P Stanley, Theorems and conjectures on some rational generating functions. Consider the polynomials $$P_n(x)=\prod_{i=1}^{n-1}(1+x^{3^{i-1}}+x^{3^i}).$$ ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
486 views

Prove that these are polynomials

Define the functions $$F_n(q)=\frac1{(1-q)^{2n}}\sum_{k=0}^n(-q)^k\frac{2k+1}{n+k+1}\binom{2n}{n-k} \prod_{j=0,\,j\neq k}^n\frac{1+q^{2j+1}}{1+q}.$$ The numbers $\frac{2k+1}{n+k+1}\binom{2n}{n-k}$ ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
7 votes
0 answers
229 views

Has anyone seen these binary trees (Catalan-type related to the Gegenbauer polynomials and Motzkin paths)?

The OEIS entry A121448 enumerates binary trees with $n$ edges and $k$ vertices with outdegree 1. Has anyone seen these trees? The o.g.f. for this entry, $G(x,t)$, is essentially a discriminant ...
Tom Copeland's user avatar
  • 10.5k
7 votes
1 answer
195 views

Schur positivity on 2 letter alphabets implies Schur-positivity on n letters?

Suppose we have a symmetric polynomial $P$ in $n$ variables. We can partition this alphabet into sets with one or two letters, e.g. ${ {x_1}, {x_2, x_3}}. We can thus see $P$ as an element in $Q[x_1]...
Per Alexandersson's user avatar
7 votes
0 answers
182 views

Positivity of certain polynomial coefficients

Consider the rational functions (in fact, polynomials) $$F_n(q)=\frac1{(1-q)^{2n}}\sum_{k=0}^n(-q)^k\frac{2k+1}{n+k+1}\binom{2n}{n-k} \prod_{j=0,\,j\neq k}^n\frac{1+q^{2j+1}}{1+q}.$$ The numbers $\...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
431 views

Maximum number of positive roots is $3$

Let $$f(x) = a+b(x+p)^t+c(x+p)^t(x+q)^t+d(x+p)^t(x+q)^t(x+r)^t,$$ where $t>1$ is any positive real number, $p>q>r>0$ or $p<q<r$ are positive integers and $a,b,c,d$ are any ...
VSP's user avatar
  • 233
6 votes
1 answer
300 views

Explicit expression for recursive sums - II

A twist on just unfolded recursive summation formula. Let polynomials in nonnegative integer variables $t_1,t_2,\dots$ be defined by the recurrence: \begin{split} g_0 &= 1, \\ g_k(t_1,t_2,\dots,...
Max Alekseyev's user avatar
6 votes
0 answers
190 views

The highest degree of a polynomial on a finite group

This question is motivated by the comments and the answer to this MO-question. First let us recall some definitions. A function $f:X\to X$ on a group $X$ is called a polynomial if there exists $n\in\...
Taras Banakh's user avatar
  • 41.8k
6 votes
1 answer
588 views

A numerical matrix of power sum polynomials

Let $p_i=x_1^i+x_2^i+\cdots+x_m^i=\sum_{k=1}^mx_k^i$ be the power sum polynomials. Then, the determinant of the $m\times m$ Hankel matrix $M_m=(p_{i+j-2})$, for $1\leq i,j\leq m$, has a neat ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
453 views

Polynomial defined recursively by a resultant

Cross posting from MSE. Definition: For any natural number $n\ge 3$, define the polynomial $P_{n}\left(x_1,x_2,...,x_{n-1},x_{n} \right)$, with indeterminates $x_{i}$, where $i\in\{1,2,...,n-1,n\}$, ...
PalmTopTigerMO's user avatar