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8 votes
1 answer
668 views

Infinite series and sum of two squares

Consider the following infinite sequence $a(n)$ generated by $$\sum_{n\geq0} a(n)q^n =\frac{\sum_{k\geq0}F(2k+1)q^{\binom{k+1}2}}{\sum_{k\geq0} q^{\binom{k+1}2}}$$ where the $F(2k+1)$ are the odd ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
137 views

State of the art on attempts to solve the elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem through transfering the problem to a weaker curve

Let an elliptic curve $E$, and 2 points on such curve $P$ and $O$ the methods I’m talking about consist in creating a weaker elliptic curve $F$ and mapping $P$ and $O$ to $F$ while successfully ...
user2284570's user avatar
10 votes
0 answers
287 views

Coefficients of polynomials vs trigonometric product

Let's consider the family of sequences of coefficients in the expansion $$\prod_{i=0}^{n-1}(1+x^{3^i}+x^{3^{i+1}})=\sum_{k\geq0}a_n(k)\, x^k.$$ Remark. Evidently, the RHS is a finite sum. Here is a ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
431 views

Shadows of partitions of lcm

$\DeclareMathOperator\lcm{lcm}$Fix an integer $n\geq1$. Denote the least common multiple $L_n=\lcm(1,2,\dots,n)$. QUESTION. Is the following true? For each integer partition $\lambda=(\lambda_1,\...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
23 votes
4 answers
2k views

Identity for an infinite product

Here is an experimental "result" exhibiting the difference of two (formal) infinite products that "almost factorizes". QUESTION. Is this true? $$\prod_{n\geq1}(1+x^{2n-1})^{24} - \...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
12 votes
1 answer
238 views

Number of planes generated by integer vectors

For fixed dimension $d$ and large $R$ consider all non-zero integer vectors in the ball $B(0,R)\subset \mathbb{R} ^d$ of radius $R$ centered at the origin. The number of such vectors grows as $c_d\...
Fedor Petrov's user avatar
15 votes
3 answers
1k views

Does anyone remember what happened to the experimental search for polynomial identities for $\pi$?

So a while back I was on the internet and had encountered a website containing an experimental search for identities for $\pi$. My memory was that the page belonged to either Jonathan Sondow or ...
Sidharth Ghoshal's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
278 views

On $(k,\ell)$-sumfree sets

Call a set $\mathcal S \subset \mathbb N$ to be $(k,\ell)$-sumfree if there are no non-trivial solutions to the equation $$x_1+\dots +x_k = y_1+\dots +y_\ell$$ in the set (for distinct $x_i$'s and $...
Sayan Dutta's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
59 views

A question on generalized bases

I just came to know that it is possible to define a generalized base as an infinite sequence of natural numbers $\mathbf b=(b_1,b_2,\dots)$ where $b_i\ge 2$ for all $i$. With this definition, any $m\...
Dumbest person on earth's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
755 views

Prove positivity of a binomial sum

Some problems appear easy on the face of it, but perhaps they are not. Here is an instance of a certain calculation which is slightly reformulated from its original encounter in a current work. I have ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
308 views

3 divides coefficents of this $q$-series

Denote $\phi(q):=\prod_{j\geq1}(1-q^j)$ and let $\xi=e^{\frac{2\pi i}3}$ be a cube root of unity. Define the sequence $u(n)$ by $$\prod_{n\geq1}\prod_{s=1}^2(1-q^n\xi^{ns})(1-q^{2n}\xi^{ns}) =\sum_{n\...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
11 votes
0 answers
290 views

Color your partitions by parity

Let $a_c(n)$ be the number of ways to partition a positive integer $n$ where each even part comes in $c$ colors. Then, we can supply the generating function $$\sum_{n\geq0}a_c(n)q^n=\prod_{k\geq1}\...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
260 views

Kummer's congruence at $p=3$

Let $B_{2k}$ be the Bernoulli numbers of even index and $\varphi(n)$ be Euler's totient function. We recall one instance of Kummer's congruences: for each integer $m\geq1$ and a prime number $p\geq5$, ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
756 views

Ordinary partitions vs partitions into odd parts

Let $\mathcal{P}(n)$ be the set of all unrestricted partitions of $n$ while $\mathcal{O}(n)$ stand for the set of all partitions of $n$ into odd parts. We adopt the power notation for partitions $\...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
312 views

Congruences for power-sum of divisors

If $\sigma_k(n)=\sum_{d\vert n} d^k$, denote $$F_1(q)=\sum_{n\geq1}\sigma_1(n)\,q^n \qquad \text{and} \qquad F_3(q)=\sum_{n\geq1}n\cdot\sigma_2(n)\,q^n.$$ QUESTION. Assume the prime $p$ is either $2,...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
286 views

Is Sturm's theorem able to do these?

$\newcommand{\Ord}{\operatorname{Ord}}$Let $p$ be a positive integer and $F(q)=\sum A(m)q^m$ be a formal power series with integer coefficients. Then $\Ord_p(F(q))$ is defined by $$\Ord_p(F(q)):=\min\{...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
346 views

A combinatorial proof: where art thou?

Start by introducing the finite sums $$A_n:=\sum_{m=1}^nq^m\prod_{j=1}^{m-1}(1-q^j) \qquad \text{and} \qquad B_n:=\sum_{m=1}^nq^m\prod_{j=m+1}^n(1-q^j).$$ An algebraic proof is facile: Clearly, $A_1=...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
156 views

$q$-series and Stirling of the 1st kind

Denote the (unsigned) Stirling numbers of the $1^{st}$-kind by ${n \brack k}$ and define $$\mathbf{F}_a(q)=\sum_{m\geq1}\frac{q^{am}}{(1-q^m)^{2a}} \qquad \text{and} \qquad \mathbf{G}_b(q)=\sum_{m\...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
4 votes
0 answers
97 views

"Convolving" a general Catalan with classical Catalan

Consider what is sometimes known as generalized Catalan sequence $$\mathcal{{\color{red}C}}_{a,b}:=\frac{2b+1}{a+b+1}\binom{2a}{a+b}.$$ Observe that $\mathcal{{\color{red}C}}_{n,0}$ reduces to the ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
117 views

Product/quotient of factorials beget dyadic powers

I am writing up some notes and the following occurred to me and I would like to see if there are a variety of ways to prove it. Just for reference, the identity pops out of equality between constant ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
158 views

Hankel transform of certain $\pm1$ sequences

The present discussion finds its motivation in the comments by Ira Gessel to my earlier MO question. More specifically, $$\prod_{i\geq0}(1-x^{2^i})=\sum_{k\geq0}(-1)^{s_2(k)}x^k$$ where $s_2(k)$ is ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
344 views

Products involving exponents of tribonacci numbers

The Fibonacci numbers $F_n$ can be given by $$\sum_{k\geq0}F_kx^k=\frac{x}{1-x-x^2}.$$ Among many many properties of this sequence, consider the following two results: (1) the coefficients of the ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
228 views

Ramanujan's theta functions and hook lengths?

Given an integer partition $\lambda\vdash n$ of $n$, one may associate a Young diagram $Y(\lambda)$ to it followed by a computation of hook length $h_{\square}$ for each cell $\square=(i,j)$ in $Y(\...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
195 views

Fibonacci and product polynomials

The motivation for my current question arises from this MO post by R. Stanley. Caveat. There's a slight alteration. With the convention $F_1=F_2=1$ for the Fibonacci numbers, define the polynomials $...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
459 views

Short sequence beats long sequence

I have encountered some comparison between two binomial sums. It was amusing how the one with "fewer" summands exceeds (in value) than the other which consists of many more terms. In fact, ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
110 views

Asking for a generating function for an arithmetic sequence

For fixed integer $n\geq1$, let $c_m(n)$ be the number of divisors $d$ of $m$ such that $n<d\leq 2n$. Here is an experimental generating function for which I ask: QUESTION. Is this true? $$\sum_{m\...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
95 views

Limiting values of particular functions

Let's define the functions $$A_n(q)=\sum_{k=0}^n(-1)^k\cdot\frac{(1+q)q^k}{1+q^{2k+1}}\cdot\frac{2k+1}{n+k+1}\binom{2n}{n-k}.$$ I'm interested in the following: QUESTION. Let $n\geq1$ be integers. ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
112 views

Counting numerical semigroups by largest element of minimal generating set

For a given integer $n$, I am interested in the number of different numerical semigroups one can make with a generating set consisting only of integers in $[n]$. I have done some small examples. For $...
Marcel K. Goh's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
115 views

Counting monomials modulo prime numbers

The present quest emanates from this study by R. Stanley, including his recent MO question. Define the product (polynomials after full expansion) $$I_n(x)=\prod_{i=1}^n(1+x^{F_{i+1}})$$ based on the ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
87 views

Doubly log-concave or doubly log-convex

Suppose $(a_k)_{k\geq0}$ is a sequence of real numbers. Consider the operator $\mathcal{L}a_k=a_k^2-a_{k-1}a_{k+1}$. We say $(a_k)_k$ is log-concave (resp. log-convex) provided $\mathcal{L}a_k\geq0$ (...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
220 views

Gaussian at $q=\pm1$, log-concave polynomials, Catalan numbers

Let $[n]_q!=\prod_{j=1}^n\frac{1-q^j}{1-q}$ with $[0]_q!:=1$ and the Gaussian polynomials $\binom{n}k_q=\frac{[n]_q!}{[k]_q!\,\cdot\,[n-k]_q!}$. Adopt the convention that $\binom{n}k_q=0$ whenever $k&...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
385 views

Is there a simple expression for $\sum_{k =1}^{(p-3)/2} \frac{1\cdot 3\cdots (2k-1)}{2\cdot 4 \cdots 2k\cdot(2k+1)} \bmod p$?

Let $p \equiv 1 \pmod 4$ be a prime and $E_n$ denote the $n$-th Euler number. While investigating $E_{p-1} \pmod{p^2}$ I have encountered this summation (modulo $p$) \begin{align*} \sum_{k =1}^{\frac{...
matt stokes's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
339 views

Sum of divisors and LCM in determinants

$\newcommand{\lcm}{\operatorname{lcm}}$Let $\gcd(i,j)$ and $\lcm(i,j)$ be the greatest common divisor and least common multiple of the pair of positive integers $i$ and $j$. Denote the sum of divisors ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
17 votes
2 answers
938 views

Has the following problem, resembling the lonely runner conjecture, been studied?

Given $n$, what is the smallest value $\delta_n$ satisfying the following: For any group of $n$ runners with constant but distinct speeds, starting from the same point and running clockwise along the ...
Arsenii Sagdeev's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
251 views

Congruence modulo 2 for q-series

This quest arose from certain calculations with integer partitions (having distinct parts) and the corresponding values of their Dyson ranks. I would like to ask: QUESTION. Is this congruence true ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
263 views

A refinment of Beck's conjecture

Let $\mathcal{O}(n)$ and $\mathcal{D}(n)$ denote the set of all integer partitions of $n$ into odd parts and distinct parts, respectively. Let $o(n)=\#\mathcal{O}(n)$ and $d(n)=\#\mathcal{D}(n)$. ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
186 views

Connection between central factorial numbers and the Stern–Brocot tree

Consider the central factorial numbers of even indices formed by $$U(n,k)=\frac1{(2k)!}\sum_{i=0}^{2k}(-1)^i\binom{2k}i(k-i)^{2n}.$$ Let $u(n,k):=U(n,k)\mod 2$. Define the triangle of numbers $$A(r,j)=...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
239 views

Yet, another numerical variant of the Vandermonde matrix

In my earlier (soft) MO post, an elementary response was given by Ofir Gorodetsky in regard to the determinant of the symbolic counterpart to the numerical matrix $\mathbf{M}_n=(i^j-j^i)_{i,j}^{1,n}$. ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
4 votes
0 answers
186 views

A problem in the spirit of P. Borwein's polynomials

A well-known conjecture (now a theorem) of P. Borwein (see Wang and Krattenthaler - An asymptotic approach to Borwein-type sign pattern theorems) states: For all positive integers $n$, the sign ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
-2 votes
1 answer
139 views

Congruence modulo 4 for a generating function leads to perfect squares? [duplicate]

Consider the number of integer partitions $p(n)$ of $n$ whose generating function is $$\sum_{n\geq0}p(n)\,x^n=\prod_{k\geq1}\frac1{1-x^k}.$$ Also, the number of partitions into distinct parts $Q(n)$ ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
159 views

A follow up on Bergeron's conjecture and a question

We say two polynomials satisfy $P(x)\geq Q(x)$ iff $P(x)-Q(x)$ has non-negative coefficients. Recall $(n)_q!=\prod_{j=1}^n(1-q^j)$ and the Gaussian polynomials $\binom{n}k_q=\frac{(n)_q!}{(k)_q!(n-k)...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
742 views

Asking for a proof for a sum of products of binomials: an "interesting" identity?

The following identity must have received alternative proofs, including a combinatorial argument by David Callan as found at Bijections for the Identity $4^n = \sum_{k = 0}^n \binom{2k}k\binom{2(n - k)...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
12 votes
1 answer
406 views

Looking for a "clever" argument for a $q$-series identity

Consider the below $q$-series identity. One of the things I like about this expansion is how nicely the difference on the left hand side factors to the right hand side of the equation. $$\prod_{k\geq1}...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
203 views

Generalizing "partition into odd parts=partition into distinct parts"?

The number of partitions into distinct parts is known to agree with the number of partitions with odd parts. For instance, this follows from $$\prod_{k=1}^{\infty}(1+q^k)=\prod_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac1{1-...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
5 votes
3 answers
300 views

Closed formula for $(-1)$-Baxter sequences

The number of the so-called Baxter permutations of length $n$ is computed by $$a_n=\frac1{\binom{n+1}1\binom{n+1}2}\sum_{k=0}^{n-1}\binom{n+1}k\binom{n+1}{k+1}\binom{n+1}{k+2}.$$ There has also been a ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
246 views

Is $C_n$ infinitely log-convex?

A sequence $a_n$ is called log-convex if $\mathcal{L}(a_n):=a_{n+1}a_{n-1}-a_n^2\geq0$ for all $n$; it is infinitely log-convex provided that all the iterates $\mathcal{L}^k(a_n)$ are still log-convex,...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
1k views

Extracting constant terms: is there a direct way?

$\DeclareMathOperator\CT{CT}$ Let $\CT_t(f(t))$ denote the constant term of the Laurent polynomial of $f(t)$. Define the two functions $F(x_1,\dots,x_n)$ and $G(y)$ by $$F:=\prod_{i=1}^nx_i^{-1}(1-x_i)...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
15 votes
4 answers
3k views

Collecting alternative proofs for the oddity of Catalan

Consider the ubiquitous Catalan numbers $C_n=\frac1{n+1}\binom{2n}n$. In this post, I am looking for your help in my attempt to collect alternative proofs of the following fact: $C_n$ is odd if and ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
111 views

Asymptotic growth of ternary partitions of integers $3n$

Consider the binary partitions of $2n$ in powers of $2$, denoted by $b(2n)$, with the generating function $$\sum_{n\geq0}b(2n)\,x^n=\frac1{1-x}\prod_{k\geq0}\frac1{1-x^{2^n}}.$$ A result of De Bruijn ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar
13 votes
2 answers
803 views

Two interpretations of a sequence: an opportunity for combinatorics

The sequence that is addressed here is resourced from the most useful site OEIS, listed as A014153, with a generating function $$\frac1{(1-x)^2}\prod_{k=1}^{\infty}\frac1{1-x^k}.$$ In particular, look ...
T. Amdeberhan's user avatar