All Questions
84 questions
3
votes
0
answers
101
views
Tuple rearrangement: a combinatoric problem emerging from the Hurwitz action on Coxeter groups
I am working on Artin Groups, so called Dual Artin groups and the conjecture that they are isomorphic. Tuples of $n$ group elements can be acted on by the braid group $B_n$ in a particular way called ...
- 31
2
votes
1
answer
215
views
Number of binary matroids of rank $r$ on a ground set with $n$ elements
How many simple binary matroids are there, up to isomorphism, of rank $r$ on an $n$-element ground set, where $r \le n < 2^r$? Write this number as $a_r(n)$. Is there somewhere where I can get this ...
- 331
1
vote
1
answer
231
views
Looking for q-analog of derangement anagrams for a word
I have already known QPermutationDerangement:
It describes the distribution
$$
d_n(q)=\sum_{\sigma \in D_n} q^{\operatorname{maj}(\sigma)}
$$
Where we sum over all derangements of an $n$ element set.
...
- 175
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 $\...
- 43.2k
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=...
- 43.2k
14
votes
3
answers
1k
views
On the finite sum of reciprocal Fibonacci sequences
I want to check if $$\left\lfloor \left( \sum_{k=n}^{2n}{\frac{1}{F_{2k}}} \right)^{-1} \right\rfloor =F_{2n-1}~~(n\ge 3) \tag{$*$}$$ where $\lfloor x \rfloor$ is th floor function.
The Fibonacci ...
- 137
4
votes
2
answers
343
views
Number of partitions of $n$ and number of different integers in 1-avoiding partitions
Consider the number of integer partitions of $n$, usually denoted by $p(n)$ and generated by
$$\sum_{n\geq0}p(n)x^n=\prod_{k\geq1}\frac1{1-x^k}.$$
I have encountered an interesting enumeration.
Take ...
- 43.2k
4
votes
1
answer
197
views
On a double sum involving binomial coefficients
For natural $n$, let
\begin{equation}
p_n:=2^{1-n}\sum_{v=1}^l \binom l{(v+l)/2}1(v\equiv l)
\sum_{u=1-v}^{v-1}\binom k{(u+k)/2}1(u\equiv k), \tag{1}\label{1}
\end{equation}
where $k:=\lfloor(n+1)/...
- 128k
2
votes
0
answers
79
views
Skewed plane partition with only row fillings reversed
The number of plane partitions in a bounded box is well-studied and dates back to MacMahon, at the start of this paper by Sam Hopkins and Tri Lai, p9, they summarized current results on the ...
- 51
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 ...
- 43.2k
6
votes
1
answer
260
views
Intuitive explanations of the Carlitz-Scoville-Vaughan theorem
Crossposted from MSE:
I recently came across Ira Gessel's slides on a theorem he says should "be considered one of the fundamental theorems of enumerative combinatorics."
The Carlitz-...
- 113
2
votes
0
answers
172
views
Lattice paths avoiding holes
Consider lattice paths from $(0,0)$ to $(2n,2n)$ with steps $N=(0,1)$ and $E=(1,0)$ avoiding the points $(2i-1,2i-1)$ for all $1\leq i\leq n$. There are Catalan many $C_{2n}=\frac1{2n+1}\binom{4n}{2n}$...
- 43.2k
3
votes
1
answer
215
views
Seeking for a combinatorial argument for partition identities
Given an integer partition $\lambda$, introduce the following quantities:
\begin{align*}
c(\lambda)&=\sum_{i\geq1}\left\lceil\frac{\lambda_i}2\right\rceil, \qquad c_o(\lambda)=\sum_{i\geq1}\left\...
- 43.2k
4
votes
0
answers
181
views
Fuss-Catalan: how does equality of these determinants hold?
There are many ways that the Catalan numbers seemed to have been generalized, one among them is through what Graham-Knuth-Patashnik (in Concrete Mathematics) dubbed as the Fuss-Catalan numbers
$\frac1{...
- 43.2k
2
votes
1
answer
205
views
Catalan and path pairs in polynomials
Define $\mathbf{K}_n$ to be the set of all $(2n+1)$-tuple sequences $\mathbf{a}=(a_0,a_1,\dots,a_{2n})\in\{-1,1\}^{n+1}$ satisfying: (a) there are $n$ occurrences of $-1$ and $n+1$ of $+1$; (b) all ...
- 43.2k
1
vote
0
answers
100
views
Super Catalan (super ballot) numbers
We refer to this article by Ira Gessel. In section 6, page 10, equation (28), the Super Catalan numbers are defined as
$$S(m,n)=\frac{(2m)!(2n)!}{m!n!(m+n)!}.$$
On page 12, equation (31), there goes ...
- 43.2k
6
votes
2
answers
432
views
Plane partitions as sums of determinants
Consider the Vandermonde's determinant computed by
$$V(x_1,\dots,x_m):=\det(x_j^{i-1})_{i,j=1}^m=\prod_{1\leq i<j\leq m}(x_i-x_j).$$
The number of plane partitions in an $n\times m\times m$ box (...
- 43.2k
7
votes
0
answers
98
views
Pattern avoidance and P-recursiveness
A sequence $\{a_n\}_{n \geq 0}$ is said to be P-recursive if there exist polynomials $p_0(n), p_1(n), \dots , p_k(n)$ such that
$$
\sum_{i=0}^k p_i(n) a_{n+i}=0
$$
for all $n \in \mathbb N$.
Let $ P$ ...
- 1,608
3
votes
2
answers
397
views
An "incomplete" tiling?
Given an $m\times n$ chess board, we place $p$ $2\times 1$ dominoes on the board so that they don't overlap. How many ways can we place them?
When each square of the board is covered by a domino this ...
- 380
18
votes
2
answers
1k
views
A combinatorial interpretation for $n$-ary trees for negative $n$
The ordinary generating function $T_n=T_n(x)$ for the $n$-ary trees satisfies the functional equation
$$
T_n=1+xT_n^n.
$$
This is usually defined for $n\ge 0$, but the functional equation can be ...
- 1,190
4
votes
0
answers
135
views
Permutations avoiding a family of consecutive patterns
Let $B=\{1324,14325,154326,1654327,\ldots\}$ be the set of permutation patterns of the form $1(m-1)(m-2)\cdots 2m$ for $m\geq 4$. I'm interested in the set $\mathcal P$ of permutations that avoid all ...
- 135
4
votes
2
answers
285
views
Is this a known symmetry of lattice paths?
I recently came across the fact that NE lattice paths from $(0,0)$ to $(m,n)$ in aggregate pass through each row and column an equal number of times (which also has a corresponding binomial identity); ...
- 43
11
votes
1
answer
884
views
And, yet, another evaluation to Catalan numbers
Construct the $n$-tuple Cartesian product of the ternary set $X_n=\{0,1,2\}\times\cdots\times\{0,1,2\}=\{0,1,2\}^n$. Define its subset $W_n$ according to the rule (here $y=(y_1,\dots,y_n)$ is made use ...
- 43.2k
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 ...
- 43.2k
2
votes
0
answers
80
views
Inequality on polynomials
Recall $[n]_q=\frac{1-q^n}{1-q}, [n]!_q=[1]_q[2]_q\cdots[n]_q$ and the Gaussian polynomial $\binom{a}{b}_q=\frac{[a]!_q}{[b]!_q[a-b]!_q}$ with $[0]!_q:=1$.
Given two polynomials $U(q)=\sum_k\alpha_kq^...
- 43.2k
2
votes
1
answer
217
views
$q$-binomial sum, slightly
Recall that $[n]_{q}!=\prod_{j=1}^n\frac{1-q^{j}}{1-q}$ and $\binom{n}k_{q}=\frac{[n]_{q}!}{[k]_{q}![n-k]_{q}!}$. Then the $q$-binomial theorem states
$$\sum_{k=0}^n\binom{n}k_qq^{\binom{k}2}=\prod_{k=...
- 43.2k
0
votes
1
answer
132
views
Seeking a bijective proof enumerating two partition sets: Part II
An integer partition is a sequence $\lambda=(\lambda_1\geq\lambda_2\geq\dotsb\geq\lambda_k)$ of positive integers, for some $k\geq1$. Consider the following two sets of partitions of $n$. Fix a ...
- 43.2k
2
votes
1
answer
181
views
Seeking a bijective proof enumerating two partition sets: Part I
An integer partition is a sequence $\lambda=(\lambda_1\geq\lambda_2\geq\dotsb\geq\lambda_k)$ of positive integers, for some $k\geq1$. Consider the following two sets of partitions of $n$. Fix a ...
- 43.2k
6
votes
0
answers
365
views
Is this just a numerical accident or what?
In a complementary proof for a matrix determinant of $a_{i,j}=\binom{n-1+i}j$, raised by BillyJoe, I showed the more general evaluation
$$\det\left(\binom{i+p}{j+k-1}\right)_{1\leq i,j\leq m}
=\prod_{...
- 43.2k
4
votes
0
answers
163
views
An identity for Schur polynomials
Given a partition $\lambda$, the Schur polynomials can be defined, among many other ways, as
$$S_{\lambda}(\xi_1,\dots,\xi_a)=\frac{\det\left(\xi_i^{\lambda_j+a-j}\right)_{i,j=1}^a}{\det\left(\xi_i^{a-...
- 43.2k
4
votes
1
answer
221
views
Reference for a definition of Catalan numbers
The $l$-th Catalan number ${2l\choose l}\frac{1}{l+1}$ is equal
to the number of sequences $s_0,\ldots,s_{l+1}$ of length $l+2$ with the following
properties:
(1) $s_0=s_{l+1}=1$ and $s_1,\ldots,s_l$ ...
- 17.9k
2
votes
0
answers
87
views
Reference request on Plancherel measure for partitions whose parts differing by more than $1$
Given an (unrestricted) integer partition $\lambda$ of $n$, let $f_{\lambda}$ denote the number of standard Young tableaux (SYT) of shape the Young diagram $Y(\lambda)$ of $\lambda$. Then,
$$\sum_{\...
- 43.2k
4
votes
1
answer
349
views
The fraction $\frac{g_{\mu}}{f_{\lambda}}$ is an integer
Let $\lambda=(\lambda_1\geq\lambda_2\geq\cdots\geq\lambda_{\ell(\lambda)}>0)$ be an integer partition of $n\in\mathbb{N}$; i.e., $\lambda_1+\cdots+\lambda_{\ell(\lambda)}=n$.
One may now associate $...
- 43.2k
12
votes
1
answer
595
views
Equality of two $q$-series. Proof?
Recall the notation $(z;q)_n=(1-z)(1-zq)(1-zq^2)\cdots(1-zq^{n-1})$.
My earlier MO question did not find enough interest or yield an answer. Perhaps the modulo $2$ part might have thrown people off. ...
- 43.2k
3
votes
1
answer
220
views
Agreement between two sets of data on partitions
Let $\lambda=(\lambda_1,\lambda_2,\dotsc,\lambda_{\ell(\lambda)})$ be an integer partition of positive numbers where $\ell(\lambda)$ is the length of the partition. One may associate a Ferrer diagram ...
- 43.2k
3
votes
1
answer
295
views
Generating function for "descents" and "cycle-types", in tandem
This question is inspired but not directly related to this recent Stanley's MO post.
The descent set $D(w)$ of a permutation $w=a_1 a_2\cdots a_n\in\frak{S}_n$ (the symmetric group on $\{1,\dots,n\}$) ...
- 43.2k
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 $d(n)=\#\mathcal{D}(n)$. ...
- 43.2k
2
votes
1
answer
177
views
Another combinatorial identity
Is it true that
$$\sum_{r=0}^p \sum_{i=0}^r a_{n,p,r,i}=0$$
for all natural $n$ and all natural $p\ge2n$, where
$$a_{n,p,r,i}:=\frac{(-1)^r (n+p-r-1)! (n p-i (r-i))}{i!(r-i)! (n-i)!
(p-r+i)! (n-r+i)! ...
- 128k
4
votes
1
answer
329
views
Enumerating subsets with no triple appearing together more than once
This question is motivated by a real-world application related to an art project that involves displaying images, but my search hit a dead end after finding the wikipage about Kirkman systems (other ...
- 7,831
2
votes
0
answers
413
views
A (really!) cute identity between product of binomials
As an off-shot of my earlier MO question, I have found a "really cute" identity. The connection is revealed in the limit $q\rightarrow 1$.
So, I would like to ask:
QUESTION. Is there a ...
- 43.2k
4
votes
1
answer
225
views
Integer-valued polynomials from Pólya counting
Let finite group $G$ act on a finite set $X$ and hence on colorings $Y^X$, where $Y=\{1,2,\ldots,k\}$ is a set of colors. The Burnside-Pólya-Redfield-etc. counting theorem says that the number of ...
- 24.2k
1
vote
1
answer
204
views
Interpret this matrix and its determinant
Let $n\geq1$ be an integer. Take the matrix $M(n)$, with entries, $M_{i,j}(n)=\sin\left(\frac{(i+j)\pi}2\right)$ if $i\neq j$ and $M_{i,i}(n)=x_i$.
I wish to ask (this question has been modified from ...
- 43.2k
2
votes
3
answers
742
views
Asking for a proof for a sum of products of binomials: an "interesting" identity?
The following identity must have received alternative proofs, including a combinatorial argument by David Callan as found at Bijections for the Identity $4^n = \sum_{k = 0}^n \binom{2k}k\binom{2(n - k)...
- 43.2k
12
votes
1
answer
405
views
Looking for a "clever" argument for a $q$-series identity
Consider the below $q$-series identity. One of the things I like about this expansion is how nicely the difference on the left hand side factors to the right hand side of the equation.
$$\prod_{k\geq1}...
- 43.2k
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
$$\prod_{k=1}^{\infty}(1+q^k)=\prod_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac1{1-...
- 43.2k
15
votes
2
answers
1k
views
A rather curious identity on sums over triple binomial terms
While exploring the Baxter sequences from my earlier MO post, I obtained a rather curious identity (not listed on OEIS either). I usually try to employ the Wilf-Zeilberger (WZ) algorithm to justify ...
- 43.2k
9
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Extracting constant terms: is there a direct way?
$\DeclareMathOperator\CT{CT}$
Let $\CT_t(f(t))$ denote the constant term of the Laurent polynomial of $f(t)$.
Define the two functions $F(x_1,\dots,x_n)$ and $G(y)$ by
$$F:=\prod_{i=1}^nx_i^{-1}(1-x_i)...
- 43.2k
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 ...
- 43.2k
0
votes
0
answers
75
views
Objects equinumerous with $3$-ary partitions?
There is a concept of the so-called RP-compositions of an integer discussed by K. Q. Ji and H. S. Wilf in Extreme palindromes. They proved the following result too:
Theorem. The number of RP-...
- 43.2k
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 ...
- 43.2k