For any positive integers l and m, a set of integers is said to be (weakly) l-sum-free modulo m if it contains no (pairwise distinct) elements $x_1,x_2,...,x_l,y$ satisfying the congruence $x_1+\...+x_l\equiv y\bmod{m}$. It is proved that, for any positive integers k and l, there exists a largest integer $n$ for which the set of the first $n$ positive integers $\{1,2,\...,n\}$ admits a partition into k (weakly) l-sum-free sets modulo m. This number is called the generalized (weak) Schur number modulo $m$, associated with k and l. In this paper, for all positive integers k and l, the exact value of these modular Schur numbers are determined for m=1, 2 and 3.
We study families of partitions with gap conditions that were introduced by Schur and Andrews, and describe their fundamental connections to combinatorial q-series and automorphic forms. In particular, we show that the generating functions for these families naturally lead to deep identities for theta functions and Hickerson's universal mock theta function, which provides a very general answer to Andrews' Conjecture on the modularity of the Schur-type generating function. Furthermore, we also complete the second part of Andrews' speculation by determining the asymptotic behavior of these funct…
We study on Weyl modules of cyclotomic $q$-Schur algebras. In particular, we give the character formula of the Weyl modules by using the Kostka numbers and some numbers which are computed by a generalization of Littlewood-Richardson rule. We also study corresponding symmetric functions. Finally, we give some simple applications to modular representations of cyclotomic $q$-Schur algebras.
Let (G, +) be an abelian group. A subset of G is sumfree if it contains no elements x, y, z such that x +y = z. We extend this concept by introducing the Schur degree of a subset of G, where Schur degree 1 corresponds to sumfree. The classical inequality S(n) $\le$ R n (3) -- 2, between the Schur number S(n) and the Ramsey number R n (3) = R(3,. .. , 3), is shown to remain valid in a wider context, involving the Schur degree of certain subsets of G. Recursive upper bounds are known for R n (3) but not for S(n) so far. We formulate a conjecture which, if true, would fill this gap. Indeed, our s…
This article provides new lower bounds for both Schur and weak Schur numbers by exploiting a "template"-based approach. The concept of "template" is also generalized to weak Schur numbers. Finding new templates leads to explicit partitions improving lower bounds as well as the growth rate for Schur numbers, weak Schur numbers, and multicolor Ramsey numbers $R_n(3)$. The new lower bounds include $S(9) \geq 17\,803$, $S(10) \geq 60\,948$, $\mathit{WS}(6) \geq 646$, $\mathit{WS}(9) \geq 22\,536$ and $\mathit{WS}(10) \geq 71\,256$.
Let $\mathscr{S}$ denote the set of integer partitions into parts that differ by at least $3$, with the added constraint that no two consecutive multiples of $3$ occur as parts. We derive trivariate generating functions of Andrews--Gordon type for partitions in $\mathscr{S}$ with both the number of parts and the number of even parts counted. In particular, we provide an analytic counterpart of Andrews' recent refinement of the Alladi--Schur theorem.
Zuse Institute Berlin（柏林祖斯研究所）；Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Mathematics（柏林自由大学数学研究所）；Technische Universität Berlin, Institute of Mathematics（柏林工业大学数学研究所）
We compute the number of perfect matchings of an $M\times N$ Aztec rectangle where $|N-M|$ vertices have been removed along a line. A particular case solves a problem posed by Propp. Our enumeration results follow from certain identities for Schur functions, which are established by the combinatorics of nonintersecting lattice paths.
The solution to the problem of finding the minimum number of monochromatic triples $(x,y,x+ay)$ with $a\geq 2$ being a fixed positive integer over any 2-coloring of $[1,n]$ was conjectured by Butler, Costello, and Graham (2010) and Thanathipanonda (2009). We solve this problem using a method based on Datskovsky's proof (2003) on the minimum number of monochromatic Schur triples $(x,y,x+y)$. We do this by exploiting the combinatorial nature of the original proof and adapting it to the general problem.
Let $r$ and $k$ be positive integers with $r \mid k$. Denote by $S_{\mathrm{\mathfrak{z}}}(k;r)$ the minimum integer $n$ such that every coloring $χ:[1,n] \rightarrow \{0,1,\dots,r-1\}$ admits a solution to $\sum_{i=1}^{k-1} x_i = x_k$ with $\sum_{i=1}^{k} χ(x_i) \equiv 0 \,(\mathrm{mod }\,r)$. We give some formulas and lower bounds for various instances.
The block number of a permutation is the maximal number of components in its expression as a direct sum. We show that, for $321$-avoiding permutations, the set of left-to-right maxima has the same distribution when the block number is assumed to be $k$ as when the last descent of the inverse is assumed to be at position $n - k$. This result is analogous to the Foata-Schützenberger equi-distribution theorem, and implies that the quasi-symmetric generating function of descent set over $321$-avoiding permutations with a prescribed number of blocks is Schur-positive.
The distribution of Coxeter descents and block number over the set of fully commutative elements in the hyperoctahedral group $B_n$, $\FC(B_n)$, is studied in this paper. We prove that the associated Chow quasi-symmetric generating function is equal to a non-negative sum of products of two Schur functions. The proof involves a decomposition of $\FC(B_n)$ into a disjoint union of two-sided Barbash-Vogan combinatorial cells, a type $B$ extension of Rubey's descent preserving involution on $321$-avoiding permutations and a detailed study of the intersection of $\FC(B_n)$ with $S_n$-cosets which y…
We discuss a problem posed by Ronald Graham about the minimum number, over all 2-colorings of $[1,n]$, of monochromatic $\{x,y,x+ay\}$ triples for $a \geq 1$. We give a new proof of the original case of $a=1$. We show that the minimum number of such triples is at most $\frac{n^2}{2a(a^2+2a+3)} + O(n)$ when $a \geq 2$. We also find a new upper bound for the minimum number, over all $r$-colorings of $[1,n]$, of monochromatic Schur triples, for $r \geq 3$.
Schur's partition theorem states that the number of partitions of n into distinct parts congruent 1, 2 (mod 3) equals the number of partitions of n into parts which differ by >= 3, where the inequality is strict if a part is a multiple of 3. We establish a double bounded refined version of this theorem by imposing one bound on the parts congruent 0,1 (mod 3) and another on the parts congruent 2 (mod 3), and by keeping track of the number of parts in each of the residue classes (mod 3). Despite the long history of Schur's theorem, our result is new, and extends earlier work of Andrews, Alladi-G…
We present positivity conjectures for the Schur expansion of Jack symmetric functions in two bases given by binomial coefficients. Partial results suggest that there are rich combinatorics to be found in these bases, including Eulerian numbers, Stirling numbers, quasi-Yamanouchi tableaux, and rook boards. These results also lead to further conjectures about the fundamental quasisymmetric expansions of these bases, which we prove for special cases.
We prove Stanley's conjecture that, if delta_n is the staircase shape, then the skew Schur functions s_{delta_n / mu} are non-negative sums of Schur P-functions. We prove that the coefficients in this sum count certain fillings of shifted shapes. In particular, for the skew Schur function s_{delta_n / delta_{n-2}}, we discuss connections with Eulerian numbers and alternating permutations.
In the present paper we find a new interpretation of Narayana polynomials N_n(x) which are the generating polynomials for the Narayana numbers N_{n,k} counting Dyck paths of length n and with exactly k peaks. Strangely enough Narayana polynomials also occur as limits as n->oo of the sequences of eigenpolynomials of the Schur-Szego composition map sending (n-1)-tuples of polynomials of the form (x+1)^{n-1}(x+a) to their Schur-Szego product, see below. As a corollary we obtain that every N_n(x) has all roots real and non-positive. Additionally, we present an explicit formula for the density and …
Let $S_{\mathfrak{z}}(k,r)$ be the least positive integer such that for any $r$-coloring $χ: \{1,2,\dots,S_{\mathfrak{z}}(k,r)\} \longrightarrow \{1, 2, \dots, r\}$, there is a sequence $x_1, x_2, \dots, x_k$ such that $\sum_{i=1}^{k-1} x_i = x_k$, and $\sum_{i=1}^{k} χ(x_i) \equiv 0 \pmod{r}$. We show that when $k$ is greater than $r$, $kr - r - 1 \le S_{\mathfrak{z}}(k,r) \le kr - 1$, and when $r$ is an odd prime, $S_{\mathfrak{z}}(k,r)$ is in fact equal to $kr - r$.
This paper records some apparently new results for the partition of integer intervals [1, n] into weakly sum-free subsets. These were produced using a method closely related to that used by Schur in 1917. New lower bounds can be produced in this way for partitions of unlimited size. The asymptotic growth rate of the lower bounds, as the number of subsets increases, cannot be less than the same growth rate for strongly sum-free partitions, and therefore exceeds 3.27. Specific results for partitions into a 'small' number of subsets include $WS(6) \ge 642$, $WS(7) \ge 2146$, $WS(8) \ge 6976$, $WS…
The product of any finite number of factorial Schur functions can be expanded as a $Z[y]$-linear combination of Schur functions. We give a rule for computing the coefficients in such an expansion which generalizes a specialization of the Molev-Sagan rule, which in turn generalizes the classical Littlewood-Richardson rule.
Consider the equation $\mathcal{E}: x_1+ \cdots+x_{k-1} =x_{k}$ and let $k$ and $r$ be positive integers such that $r\mid k$. The number $S_{\mathfrak{z},2}(k;r)$ is defined to be the least positive integer $t$ such that for any 2-coloring $χ: [1, t] \to \{0, 1\}$ there exists a solution $(\hat{x}_1, \hat{x}_2, \ldots, \hat{x}_k)$ to the equation $\mathcal{E}$ satisfying $\displaystyle \sum_{i=1}^kχ(\hat{x}_i) \equiv 0\pmod{r}$. In a recent paper, the first author posed the question of determining the exact value of $S_{\mathfrak{z}, 2}(k;4)$. In this article, we solve this problem and show, m…
In 1952, J.H.Braun claimed to have established a formula giving a lower bound for certain partitions of sets of integers into weakly sum-free classes. However, no proof or supporting construction was published at that time. In today's terminology, that claim was equivalent to giving a formulaic lower bound for the weak Schur number $WS(s)$. $WS(s)$ is the maximum number such that there exists a weak Schur partition of the integers from 1 to $WS(s)$, into $s$ subsets. In a weak Schur partition of a set of integers, there can be no three distinct members $a$, $b$ and $c$ in any subset, such that…
We define a number of related combinatorial objects, each of which possesses a surprising symmetry. We include several applications such as a combinatorial explanation for certain fixed points of the involution $ω$ on the ring of symmetric functions, as well as a relationship between certain skew Schur functions and skew $Q$-Schur functions. We give a $t$-deformation of these $Q$-Schur functions, and show that it is Schur positive, including a combinatorial description of the Schur coefficients. A corollary of our results is the equality of skew $Q$-Schur functions: $Q_{λ+δ/μ+ δ}=Q_{λ'+δ/μ' + …
We prove that the minimum number (asymptotically) of monochromatic Schur triples that a 2-coloring of [1,n] can have is (n^2)/22 + O(n). This was solved independently by Tomasz Schoen.
We derive exact and sharp lower bounds for the number of monochromatic generalized Schur triples $(x,y,x+ay)$ whose entries are from the set $\{1,\dots,n\}$, subject to a coloring with two different colors. Previously, only asymptotic formulas for such bounds were known, and only for $a\in\mathbb{N}$. Using symbolic computation techniques, these results are extended here to arbitrary $a\in\mathbb{R}$. Furthermore, we give exact formulas for the minimum number of monochromatic Schur triples for $a=1,2,3,4$, and briefly discuss the case $0<a<1$.
Shuffles are n-multipermutations with suit multiplicities given by a subset R of {1,..,n-1}. Their inverses are ordered partitions of {1,..,n} whose block sizes derive from R. These "R-permutations" depict the min length coset reps for the quotient of S_n by the parabolic subgroup W_J, with J the complement of R. We refer to those that blockwise avoid the pattern 312 as "312-avoiding R-permutations" and define the "parabolic R-Catalan number" to be the number of them. Let lambda be a partition of N with at most n parts whose set of shape column lengths less than n is R. We show that the number…
In this paper we describe the thickened strips and the outside nested decompositions of any skew shape $λ/μ$. For any such decomposition $Φ=(Θ_1,Θ_2,\ldots,Θ_g)$ of the skew shape $λ/μ$ where $Θ_i$ is a thickened strip for every $i$, if $r$ is the number of boxes that are contained in any two distinct thickened strips of $Φ$, we establish a determinantal formula of the function $s_{λ/μ}(X)p_{1^r}(X)$ with the Schur functions of thickened strips as entries, where $s_{λ/μ}(X)$ is the Schur function of the skew shape $λ/μ$ and $p_{1^r}(X)$ is the power sum symmetric function index by the partitio…
It is a well-known fact that over the complex numbers and for a fixed $k$ and $n$, a generic $s$ in $Sym^2V^*$ vanishes on some $k$-dimensional subspace of $V$ if and only if $n\geq 2k$. Tevelev found exact conditions for the extension of this statement for general symmetric and skew-symmetric multilinear forms, and we extend his work to all possible symmetric types, which corresponds to Schur modules for a general partition.
A consequence of work of Klyachko and of Knutson-Tao is the Horn recursion to determine when a Littlewood-Richardson coefficient is non-zero. Briefly, a Littlewood-Richardson coefficient is non-zero if and only if it satisfies a collection of Horn inequalities which are indexed by smaller non-zero Littlewood-Richardson coefficients. There are similar Littlewood-Richardson numbers for Schur P- and Q- functions. Using a mixture of combinatorics of root systems, combinatorial linear algebra in Lie algebras, and the geometry of certain cominuscule flag varieties, we give Horn recursions to determi…
For any complex number $α$ and any even-size skew-symmetric matrix $B$, we define a generalization $\pfaα(B)$ of the pfaffian $\pf(B)$ which we call the $α$-pfaffian. The $α$-pfaffian is a pfaffian analogue of the $α$-determinant. It gives the pfaffian at $α=-1$. We give some formulas for $α$-pfaffians and study the positivity. Further we define point processes determined by the $α$-pfaffian. Also we provide a linear algebraic proof of the explicit pfaffian expression for the correlation function of the shifted Schur measure.
