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11 votes
3 answers
557 views

In search of a $q$-analogue of a Catalan identity

Let $C_n=\frac1{n+1}\binom{2n}n$ be the all-familiar Catalan numbers. Then, the following identity has received enough attention in the literature (for example, Lagrange Inversion: When and How): \...
6 votes
0 answers
214 views

Looking for a combinatorial proof for an identity involving $q$-Catalan triangles

Let $C_n=\frac1{n+1}\binom{2n}n$ be the Catalan numbers. Following my earlier post on MO, one fine colleague asked me if there is a $q$-analogue of the identity formed by the so-called Shapiro's ...
0 votes
0 answers
174 views

3D generalization of Gaussian q-binomial coefficient

It is known that the coefficient of $q^t$ in Gaussian binomial coefficient $\binom{m+n}m_q$ equals the number of permutations of the multiset $\{0^m, 1^n\}$ with $t$ inversions. Is there a closed ...
12 votes
5 answers
836 views

A divisibility of q-binomial coefficients combinatorially

Let a and b be coprime positive integers. Then the number a+b divides the binomial coefficient ${a+b \choose a}$. I know how to prove this combinatorially - for example after choosing an ordered set ...
3 votes
0 answers
136 views

A recursion involving binomial coefficients: looking for a q-analog

Let $a_n := \frac{1}{2n+1}\binom{3n}{n}$. Then it is known that (one can find references in the OEIS for this.) $$ a_n = \sum_{\substack{i,j,k \geq 0 \\ i+j+k=n-1} } a_i a_j a_k. $$ Is there a natural ...
5 votes
1 answer
178 views

A $q$-analogue of a characterization of polynomials by binomial coefficients

Considering the binomial coefficient $\binom{x}{m}$ as a polynomial in $x$, the span of $\binom{x}{0}, \binom{x}{1}, \ldots, \binom{x}{d}$ is exactly the polynomials of degree $\le d$. A closely ...
6 votes
1 answer
689 views

Q-binomials at roots of unity

As the title says, given a general $q$-binomial $\binom{n}{k}_q$, is there some general result regarding its value at a root of unity, $q = \exp(2\pi i r/N)$?
12 votes
1 answer
267 views

Total positivity of $q$-Pascal matrix?

A matrix of real numbers is called totally positive if all its minors are non-negative. A well-known example is the Pascal matrix $(\binom{i}{j})$. Is it true that the minors of the $q$-Pascal matrix ...
6 votes
0 answers
132 views

Q-analogue of an inequality

Pick integers $b\geq a \geq 0$ and $k\geq j\geq 0$. It is not super-difficult to prove the inequality $$ \binom{kb}{ka}^j \geq \binom{jb}{ja}^k. $$ This is actually quite a nice inequality that was ...
8 votes
0 answers
253 views

q-analog of $(d/dx) \binom{x}{k}$?

It is not hard to find easy formulas for the derivative of the function $\binom{x}{k}$, for instance it is not too hard to see (for $k$ an integer) that $\frac{d}{dx} \binom{x}{k} = \sum_{i=1}^k \...
9 votes
0 answers
192 views

For $q$-analogues of a known curious identity

In 2002 I published the folllowing curious combinatorial identity: $$(x+m+1)\sum_{i=0}^m(-1)^i\binom{x+y+i}{m-i}\binom{y+2i}i-\sum_{i=0}^m\binom{x+i}{m-i}(-4)^i=(x-m)\binom xm.$$ My original proof is ...
12 votes
3 answers
1k views

A "quantum" identity: in search of a proof -Part II

As usual, denote $[n]_q=1+q+\cdots+q^{n-1}=\frac{\,\,1-q^n}{1-q}$ and $[n]_q!=[1]_q[2]_q\cdots[n]_q$. Furthermore, we write $$\binom{n}k_q=\frac{[n]_q!}{[k]_q!\cdot[n-k]_q!}.$$ As a follow up on this ...
3 votes
1 answer
253 views

What is the value of this sum involving q-binomials?

Let $n\ge 2r$ be positive integers. Is there a closed form for following finite summation involving in q-binomial coefficients $$\sum_{s=0}^r(-1)^sq^{\frac{s(s+1)}{2}}{n-2r+s\brack n-2r}_q{n\brack r-...
4 votes
2 answers
292 views

How to prove that $\sum_{i=0}^n\frac{(a;q)_i}{(q;q)_i}\frac{(b;q)_{n-i}}{(q;q)_{n-i}}a^{n-i}=\frac{(ab;q)_n}{(q;q)_n}$?

By Cauchy identity, $${}_1\phi_0(a;—;q,z)=\sum_{n\geq0}\frac{(a;q)_n}{(q;q)_n}z^n=\frac{(az;q)_{\infty}}{(z;q)_\infty},\quad|z|<1,|q|<1,$$ we can obtain the $q-$analogue of $(1-z)^{-a}(1-z)^{-b}=...