We start with a (q,t)-generalization of a binomial coefficient. It can be viewed as a polynomial in t that depends upon an integer q, with combinatorial interpretations when q is a positive integer, and algebraic interpretations when q is the order of a finite field. These (q,t)-binomial coefficients and their interpretations generalize further in two directions, one relating to column-strict tableaux and Macdonald's ``seventh variation'' of Schur functions, the other relating to permutation statistics and Hilbert series from the invariant theory of GL_n(F_q).
Using techniques from the theories of convex polytopes, lattice paths, and indirect influences on directed manifolds, we construct continuous analogues for the binomial coefficients and the Catalan numbers. Our approach for constructing these analogues can be applied to a wide variety of combinatorial sequences. As an application we develop a continuous analogue for the binomial distribution.
Combinatorial interpretations of binomial coefficient analogues related to Lucas sequences
Let s and t be variables. Define polynomials {n} in s, t by {0}=0, {1}=1, and {n}=s{n-1}+t{n-2} for n >= 2. If s, t are integers then the corresponding sequence of integers is called a Lucas sequence. Define an analogue of the binomial coefficients by C{n,k}={n}!/({k}!{n-k}!) where {n}!={1}{2}...{n}. It is easy to see that C{n,k} is a polynomial in s and t. The purpose of this note is to give two combinatorial interpretations for this polynomial in terms of statistics on integer partitions inside a k by n-k rectangle. When s=t=1 we obtain combinatorial interpretations of the fibonomial coeffic…
We give a new $q$-$(1+q)$-analogue of the Gaussian coefficient, also known as the $q$-binomial which, like the original $q$-binomial $\genfrac{[}{]}{0pt}{}{n}{k}_{q}$, is symmetric in $k$ and $n-k$. We show this $q$-$(1+q)$-binomial is more compact than the one discovered by Fu, Reiner, Stanton and Thiem. Underlying our $q$-$(1+q)$-analogue is a Boolean algebra decomposition of an associated poset. These ideas are extended to the Birkhoff transform of any finite poset. We end with a discussion of higher analogues of the $q$-binomial.
In a previous paper, we studied an overpartition analogue of Gaussian polynomials as the generating function for overpartitions fitting inside an $m \times n$ rectangle. Here, we add one more parameter counting the number of overlined parts, obtaining a two-parameter generalization $\overline{m+n \brack n}_{q,t}$ of Gaussian polynomials, which is also a $(q,t)$-analogue of Delannoy numbers. First we obtain finite versions of classical $q$-series identities such as the $q$-binomial theorem and the Lebesgue identity, as well as two-variable generalizations of classical identities involving Gauss…
The Lucas sequence is a sequence of polynomials in s, and t defined recursively by {0}=0, {1}=1, and {n}=s{n-1}+t{n-2} for n >= 2. On specialization of s and t one can recover the Fibonacci numbers, the nonnegative integers, and the q-integers [n]_q. Given a quantity which is expressed in terms of products and quotients of nonnegative integers, one obtains a Lucas analogue by replacing each factor of n in the expression with {n}. It is then natural to ask if the resulting rational function is actually a polynomial in s and t with nonnegative integer coefficients and, if so, what it counts. The…
We establish a $q$-analogue of Sun--Zhao's congruence on harmonic sums. Based on this $q$-congruence and a $q$-series identity, we prove a congruence conjecture on sums of central $q$-binomial coefficients, which was recently proposed by Guo. We also deduce a $q$-analogue of a congruence due to Apagodu and Zeilberger from Guo's $q$-congruence.
We discuss $q$-analogues of the classical congruence $\binom{ap}{bp}\equiv\binom{a}{b}\pmod{p^3}$, valid for primes $p>3$, as well as its generalisations. In particular, we prove related congruences for ($q$-analogues of) integral factorial ratios.
We study the properties of the base-$b$ binomial coefficient defined by Jiu and the second author, introduced in the context of a digital binomial theorem. After introducing a general summation formula, we derive base-$b$ analogues of the Stirling numbers of the second kind, the Fibonacci numbers and the classical exponential function.
$q$-analogues of quantities in mathematics involve perturbations of classical quantities using the parameter $q$, and revert to the original quantities when $q$ goes $1$. An important example is the $q$-analogues of binomial coefficients which give the number of $k$-dimensional subspaces in $\mathbb{F}_{q}^{n}$. When $q$ goes to $1$, this reverts to the binomial coefficients which measure the number of $k$-sets in $\left [ n \right ]$. Dot-analogues of $q$-binomial coefficients were studied by Yoo (2019) in order to investigate combinatorics of quadratic spaces over finite fields. The number o…
The binomial coefficients and Catalan triangle numbers appear as weight multiplicities of the finite-dimensional simple Lie algebras and affine Kac--Moody algebras. We prove that any binomial coefficient can be written as weighted sums along rows of the Catalan triangle. The coefficients in the sums form a triangular array, which we call the alternating Jacobsthal triangle. We study various subsequences of the entries of the alternating Jacobsthal triangle and show that they arise in a variety of combinatorial constructions. The generating functions of these sequences enable us to define their…
Some combinatorics related to central binomial coefficients: Grand-Dyck paths, coloured noncrossing partitions and signed pattern avoiding permutations
We establish discrete and continuous log-concavity results for a biparametric extension of the $q$-numbers and of the $q$-binomial coefficients. By using classical results for the Jacobi theta function we are able to lift some of our log-concavity results to the elliptic setting. One of our main ingredients is a putatively new lemma involving a multiplicative analogue of Turán's inequality.
Generalized Fibonacci polynomials and Fibonomial coefficients
The focus of this paper is the study of generalized Fibonacci polynomials and Fibonomial coefficients. The former are polynomials {n} in variables s and t given by {0} = 0, {1} = 1, and {n} = s{n-1}+t{n-2} for n ge 2. The latter are defined by {n choose k} = {n}!/({k}!{n-k}!) where {n}! = {1}{2}...{n}. These quotients are also polynomials in s and t, and specializations give the ordinary binomial coefficients , the Fibonomial coefficients, and the q- binomial coefficients . We present some of their fundamental properties, including a more general recursion for {n}, an analogue of the binomial …
We prove that, for all positive integers $n_1, \ldots, n_m$, $n_{m+1}=n_1$, and non-negative integers $j$ and $r$ with $j\leqslant m$, the following two expressions \begin{align*} &\frac{1}{[n_1+n_m+1]}{n_1+n_{m}\brack n_1}^{-1}\sum_{k=0}^{n_1} q^{j(k^2+k)-(2r+1)k}[2k+1]^{2r+1}\prod_{i=1}^m {n_i+n_{i+1}+1\brack n_i-k},\\[5pt] &\frac{1}{[n_1+n_m+1]}{n_1+n_{m}\brack n_1}^{-1}\sum_{k=0}^{n_1}(-1)^k q^{{k\choose 2}+j(k^2+k)-2rk}[2k+1]^{2r+1}\prod_{i=1}^m {n_i+n_{i+1}+1\brack n_i-k} \end{align*} are Laurent polynomials in $q$ with integer coefficients, where $[n]=1+q+\cdots+q^{n-1}$ and ${n\brack k…
The generalized Lucas numbers are polynomials in two variables with nonnegative integer coefficients. Lucas versions of some combinatorial numbers with known formulas in terms of quotient and products of nonnegative integers have been recently given by replacing the integers in those formulas with their corresponding Lucas analogues. We instead use a recursive approach. In this sense, we give a recursive formula for Lucas-Narayana numbers derived from a recent formula in terms of Lucasnomials (the explicit Lucas version of binomial numbers). We propose a recursive definition for a Lucas analog…
Starting with some determinants of binomial coefficients which are related to Fibonacci and Lucas polynomials we study similar determinants for some generalizations of these polynomials and their q-analogues.
We show that q-Catalan numbers, q- central binomial coefficients and q- Narayana polynomials are moments of q-analogues of Fibonacci and Lucas polynomials and related polynomials.
We show that, for all positive integers $n_1, \ldots, n_m$, $n_{m+1}=n_1$, and any non-negative integers $j$ and $r$ with $j\leqslant m$, the expression $$ \frac{1}{[n_1]}{n_1+n_{m}\brack n_1}^{-1} \sum_{k=1}^{n_1}[2k][k]^{2r}q^{jk^2-(r+1)k}\prod_{i=1}^{m} {n_i+n_{i+1}\brack n_i+k} $$ is a Laurent polynomial in $q$ with integer cofficients, where $[n]=1+q+\cdots+q^{n-1}$ and ${n\brack k}=\prod_{i=1}^k(1-q^{n-i+1})/(1-q^i)$. This gives a $q$-analogue of a divisibility result on the Catalan triangle obtained by the first author and Zeng, and also confirms a conjecture of the first author and Zen…
The $q$-analogue of the binomial coefficient, known as a $q$-binomial coefficient, is typically denoted $\left[{n \atop k}\right]_q$. These polynomials are important combinatorial objects, often appearing in generating functions related to permutations and in representation theory. Stanley conjectured that the function $f_{k,R}(n) = \#\left\{i : [q^{i}] \left[{n \atop k}\right]_q \equiv R \pmod{N}\right\}$ is quasipolynomial for $N=2$. We generalize, showing that this is in fact true for any integer $N\in \mathbb{N}$ and determine a quasi-period $π'_N(k)$ derived from the minimal period $π_N(k…
For a discrete valuation domain $V$ with maximal ideal $\mathfrak{m}$ such that the residue field $V/\mathfrak{m}$ is finite, there exists a sequence of polynomials $(F_n(x))_{n \ge 0}$ defined over the quotient field $K$ of $V$ that forms a basis of the $V$-module $\text{Int}(V) = \{f \in K[x] | f(V)\subseteq V\}$. This sequence of polynomials bears many resemblances to the classical binomial polynomials $(\binom{x}{n})_{n \ge 0}$. In this paper, we introduce a generating polynomial to account for the distribution of the $V$-values of the polynomials $F_n(x)$ modulo the maximal ideal $\mathfr…
In this paper we present several natural $q$-analogues of the poly-Bernoulli numbers arising in combinatorial contexts. We also recall some relating analytical results and ask for combinatorial interpretations.
