All Questions
20 questions
27
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Kasteleyn's formula for domino tilings generalized?
It seems a marvel when a bunch of irrational numbers "conspire" to become rational, even better an integer. An elementary example is $\prod_{j=1}^n4\cos^2\left(\pi j/(2n+1)\right)=1$.
Kasteleyn's ...
- 43.2k
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?
$$\prod_{n\geq1}(1+x^{2n-1})^{24} - \...
- 43.2k
16
votes
6
answers
2k
views
Alternative proofs sought after for a certain identity
Here is an identity for which I outlined two different arguments. I'm collecting further alternative proofs, so
QUESTION. can you provide another verification for the problem below?
Problem. Prove ...
- 43.2k
12
votes
1
answer
596
views
Equality of two $q$-series. Proof?
Recall the notation $(z;q)_n=(1-z)(1-zq)(1-zq^2)\cdots(1-zq^{n-1})$.
My earlier MO question did not find enough interest or yield an answer. Perhaps the modulo $2$ part might have thrown people off. ...
- 43.2k
11
votes
2
answers
539
views
Reference request: A multidimensional generalization of the fundamental theorem of calculus
$\newcommand\R{\mathbb R}$Let $f\colon\R^p\to\R$ be a continuous function. For $u=(u_1,\dots,u_p)$ and $v=(v_1,\dots,v_p)$ in $\R^p$, let
$[u,v]:=\prod_{r=1}^p[u_r,v_r]$;
$u\wedge v:=\big(\min(u_1,v_1)...
- 128k
10
votes
0
answers
287
views
Coefficients of polynomials vs trigonometric product
Let's consider the family of sequences of coefficients in the expansion
$$\prod_{i=0}^{n-1}(1+x^{3^i}+x^{3^{i+1}})=\sum_{k\geq0}a_n(k)\, x^k.$$
Remark. Evidently, the RHS is a finite sum.
Here is a ...
- 43.2k
9
votes
2
answers
354
views
Asymptotics of a quadratic recursion
Consider the sequence defined by
\begin{align}
c_0 &{}= 1 \\
c_n &{}= 2\,n\,c_{n-1}-\frac{1}{2}\sum_{m=1}^{n-1}c_m\,c_{n-m}.
\end{align}
How can you prove that it has the following asymptotics ...
6
votes
2
answers
755
views
Prove positivity of a binomial sum
Some problems appear easy on the face of it, but perhaps they are not. Here is an instance of a certain calculation which is slightly reformulated from its original encounter in a current work. I have ...
- 43.2k
5
votes
0
answers
107
views
Generalized Puiseux series for diagonal reflections of the curves $y = \frac{x}{(1-ax)(1-bx)^m}$
Reflection of the curve $y = f_m(x) = \frac{x}{(1-ax)(1-bx)^m}$ through the diagonal line $y=x$ in the $xy$-plane can be regarded as local compositional inversion of the curve $y=f_m(x)$. ($x,y,a,b$ ...
- 10.5k
4
votes
1
answer
246
views
Is $C_n$ infinitely log-convex?
A sequence $a_n$ is called log-convex if $\mathcal{L}(a_n):=a_{n+1}a_{n-1}-a_n^2\geq0$ for all $n$; it is infinitely log-convex provided that all the iterates $\mathcal{L}^k(a_n)$ are still log-convex,...
- 43.2k
4
votes
1
answer
95
views
Limiting values of particular functions
Let's define the functions
$$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}.$$
I'm interested in the following:
QUESTION. Let $n\geq1$ be integers. ...
- 43.2k
4
votes
0
answers
208
views
Extract this constant term
Given a Laurent polynomial $F$ in the variables $\mathbf{t}=(t_1,\dots,t_n)$, let $CT_{\vec{\mathbf{t}}}\,F$ denote its constant term.
For example, $CT_{t_1,t_2}((8t_1-\frac1{3t_1t_2})(5t_1t_2+t_2^2+\...
- 43.2k
3
votes
1
answer
251
views
Congruence modulo 2 for q-series
This quest arose from certain calculations with integer partitions (having distinct parts) and the corresponding values of their Dyson ranks.
I would like to ask:
QUESTION. Is this congruence true ...
- 43.2k
3
votes
0
answers
315
views
When does the Taylor coefficient of $e^{\sin x}$ vanish?
If $f(x)=\frac{a_1}{1!}x+\frac{a_2}{2!}x^2+\frac{a_3}{3!}x^3+\frac{a_4}{4!}x^4+\cdots$ is an exponential generating function for $\{a_k\}_{k\geq1}$ then
$$e^{f(x)}=1+\frac{a_1}{1!}x+\frac{a_1^2+a_2}{2!...
- 43.2k
2
votes
1
answer
377
views
Prove positivity of rational functions
We say a rational function $F(z)$ is positive if the coefficients of its Maclaurin expansion, in the variable $z$, are non-negative.
In this context, let
$$F_r(z):=\frac{1 - 2z + z^r - (1 - z)^r}{(1 - ...
- 43.2k
2
votes
1
answer
276
views
Estimating a sum over set partitions
Let $[n]:=\{1,\dots,n\}$. Fix a set partition $\rho$ of $[n]$, with an abuse of notation we shall use $\rho\vdash [n]$.
I would like to estimate the following alternating sum.
QUESTION. Is this true?
...
- 43.2k
1
vote
1
answer
117
views
Product/quotient of factorials beget dyadic powers
I am writing up some notes and the following occurred to me and I would like to see if there are a variety of ways to prove it. Just for reference, the identity pops out of equality between constant ...
- 43.2k
1
vote
1
answer
457
views
A (surprising?) expression for $e$
I apologise if this is off topic.
Consider the quantity
$$
F(m,n,k)=\frac{(m)_k}{k!n^{k-1} }
$$
where $m,n \in \mathbb{N}.$ For moderately large $n$, it seems that the approximation
$$
\sum_{k=1}^{K} ...
- 10.4k
1
vote
0
answers
162
views
Triangular and pentagonal numbers in $q$-series
Consider the following two infinite series
$$\sum_{n\geq0}a(n)q^n=\prod_{k\geq1}\frac1{(1-q^k)^2(1-q^{5k})^2} \,\,\,\, \text{and} \,\,\,
\sum_{n\geq0}b(n)q^n=\prod_{k\geq1}\frac1{(1-q^k)^2(1-q^{7k})^2}...
- 43.2k
0
votes
1
answer
129
views
Seeking an integral formulation for an algebraic function
While working with a generating function for the Catalan numbers, I came across the integral representation
$$\frac1{1+\sqrt{1-4x}}=\frac1{2\pi}\int_0^{\infty}\frac{\sqrt{t}}{(t+\frac14)(t-x+\frac14)}\...
- 43.2k