On the weighted enumeration of alternating sign matrices and descending plane partitions

We prove a conjecture of Mills, Robbins and Rumsey [Alternating sign matrices and descending plane partitions, J. Combin. Theory Ser. A 34 (3) (1983) 340-359] that, for any n, k, m and p, the number of n×n alternating sign matrices (ASMs) for which the 1 of the first row is in column k+1 and there are exactly m −1?s and m+p inversions is equal to the number of descending plane partitions (DPPs) for which each part is at most n and there are exactly k parts equal to n, m special parts and p nonspecial parts. The proof involves expressing the associated generating functions for ASMs and DPPs with fixed n as determinants of n×n matrices, and using elementary transformations to show that these determinants are equal. The determinants themselves are obtained by standard methods: for ASMs this involves using the Izergin-Korepin formula for the partition function of the six-vertex model with domain-wall boundary conditions, together with a bijection between ASMs and configurations of this model, and for DPPs it involves using the Lindström-Gessel-Viennot theorem, together with a bijection between DPPs and certain sets of nonintersecting lattice paths.     

Self-conjugate partitions with the same disparity

We give a bijection between the set of ordinary partitions and that of self-conjugate partitions with some restrictions. Also, we show the relationship between hook lengths of a self-conjugate partition and its corresponding partition via the bijection. As a corollary, we give new combinatorial interpretations for the Catalan number and the Motzkin number in terms of self-conjugate simultaneous core partitions.     

A Note on Partitions into Distinct Parts and Odd Parts

Bousquet-Mélou and Eriksson showed that the number of partitions of n into distinct parts whose alternating sum is k is equal to the number of partitions of n into k odd parts, which is a refinement of a well-known result by Euler. We give a different graphical interpretation of the bijection by Sylvester on partitions into distinct parts and partitions into odd parts, and show that the bijection implies the above statement.     

Balanced partitions

A famous theorem of Euler asserts that there are as many partitions of n into distinct parts as there are partitions into odd parts. We begin by establishing a less well-known companion result, which states that both of these quantities are equal to the number of partitions of n into even parts along with exactly one triangular part. We then introduce the characteristic of a partition, which is determined in a simple way by the placement of odd parts within the list of all parts. This leads to a refinement of the aforementioned result in the form of a new type of partition identity involving characteristic, distinct parts, even parts, and triangular numbers. Our primary purpose is to present a bijective proof of the central instance of this new type of identity, which concerns balanced partitions—partitions in which odd parts occupy as many even as odd positions within the list of all parts. The bijection is accomplished by means of a construction that converts balanced partitions of 2n into unrestricted partitions of n via a pairing of the squares in the Young tableau.     

A Rogers-Ramanujan bijection

In this paper we give a bijection between the partitions of n with parts congruent to 1 or 4 (mod 5) and the partitions of n with parts differing by at least 2. This bijection is obtained by a cut-and-paste procedure which starts with a partition in one class and ends with a partition in the other class. The whole construction is a combination of a bijection discovered quite early by Schur and two bijections of our own. A basic principle concerning pairs of involutions provides the key for connecting all these bijections. It appears that our methods lead to an algorithm for constructing bijections for other identities of Rogers-Ramanujan type such as the Gordon identities.     

q-Enumeration of alternating sign matrices with exactly one −1

We enumerate the alternating sign matrices that contain exactly one −1 according to their number of inversions (possibly taking into account the position of the unique non-zero entry in the first row). In conformity with the Mills, Robbins and Rumsey conjectures, this is the same as the enumeration, according to the number of parts, of descending plane partitions with exactly one special part. This is shown by finding a determinantal expression for the generating function of descending plane partitions, transforming it algebraically and extracting recurrences for those with one special part. Finally, we show that the generating function of alternating sign matrices that contain exactly one −1 follows the same recurrences.RésuméOn énumère les matrices à signes alternants qui ne contiennent qu'un seul −1 selon leur nombre d'inversions (en tenant compte possiblement de la position de la seule entrée non nulle de la première ligne). Conformément aux conjectures de Mills, Robbins et Rumsey, ceci revient à l’énumération, selon le nombre de parts, des partitions planes descendantes qui n'ont qu'une seule part spéciale. Pour le démontrer, on obtient d'abord la fonction génératrice des partitions planes descendantes sous forme d'un déterminant qu'on transforme algébriquement pour en extraire des récurrences qui caractérisent celles n'ayant qu'une part spéciale. Finalement, on montre que la fonction génératrice des matrices à signes alternants vérifie les mêmes récurrences.     

Euler's partition theorem and the combinatorics of ℓ-sequences

Euler's partition theorem states that the number of partitions of an integer N into odd parts is equal to the number of partitions of N in which the ratio of successive parts is greater than 1. It was shown by Bousquet-Mélou and Eriksson in [M. Bousquet-Mélou, K. Eriksson, Lecture hall partitions II, Ramanujan J. 1 (2) (1997) 165–185] that a similar result holds when “odd parts” is replaced by “parts that are sums of successive terms of an ℓ-sequence” and the ratio “1” is replaced by a root of the characteristic polynomial of the ℓ-sequence. This generalization of Euler's theorem is intrinsically different from the many others that have appeared, as it involves a family of partitions constrained by the ratio of successive parts.In this paper, we provide a surprisingly simple bijection for this result, a question suggested by Richard Stanley. In fact, we give a parametrized family of bijections, that include, as special cases, Sylvester's bijection and a bijection for the lecture hall theorem. We introduce Sylvester diagrams as a way to visualize these bijections and deduce their properties.In proving the bijections, we uncover the intrinsic role played by the combinatorics of ℓ-sequences and use this structure to give a combinatorial characterization of the partitions defined by the ratio constraint. Several open questions suggested by this work are described.     

On the equality of two plane partition correspondences

The study of column-strict plane partitions and Young tableax has spawned numerous constructive correspondences. Among these are correspondences found in the work of Bender and Knuth that send one column-strict plane partition to another, causing a specified permutation on the numbers of parts of a given size. Another correspondence, created by Schützenberger to act on standard Young tableaux and defined in an entirely different manner. has intimate connections with the Robinson-Schensted algorithm. In this paper, these correspondences are generalized to skew column-strict plane partitions and certain of their basic properties are considered. In particular, it is shown that the correspondence of Schützenberger can be considered a special case of the Bender-Knuth correspondences.     

Tableaux and matrix correspondences

The Robinson-Schensted correspondence, a bijection between nonnegative matrices and pair of tableaux, is investigated. The representation, in the tableau, of the dihedral symmetries of the matrix are derived in a simple manner using a shape-preserving anti-isomorphism of the platic monoid. The Robinson-Schensted correspondence is shown to be equivalent to the Hillman-Grassl bijection between reverse plane partitions and tabloids. A generalized insertion method for the Robinson-Schensted correspondence is obtained.     

A bijective proof of the generating function for the number of reverse plane partitions via lattice paths

Recently, Hillman and Grassl gave a bijective proof for the generating function for the number of reverse plane partitions of a fixed shape λ. We give another bijective proof for this generating function via completelv different methods. Our bijection depends on a lattice path coding of reverse plane partitions and a new method for constructing bisections out of certain pairs of involutions due to Garsia and Milne.     

A bijective proof of the generating function for the number of reverse plane partitions via lattice paths

Recently, Hillman and Grassl gave a bijective proof for the generating function for the number of reverse plane partitions of a fixed shape λ. We give another bijective proof for this generating function via completelv different methods. Our bijection depends on a lattice path coding of reverse plane partitions and a new method for constructing bisections out of certain pairs of involutions due to Garsia and Milne.     

Partitions and partial matchings avoiding neighbor patterns

We obtain the generating functions for partial matchings avoiding neighbor alignments and for partial matchings avoiding neighbor alignments and left nestings. We show that there is a bijection between partial matchings avoiding the three neighbor patterns (neighbor alignments, left nestings and right nestings) and set partitions avoiding right nestings via an intermediate structure of upper triangular matrices. Combining our bijection and the bijection given by Dukes and Parviainen between upper triangular matrices and self-modified ascent sequences, we get a bijection between partial matchings avoiding the three neighbor patterns and self-modified ascent sequences.     

Group technology in production management: The short horizon planning level

We consider a set of parts divided into subsets called part types, determined in such a way that the parts belonging to the same part type are manufactured using the same sequence of tasks (i.e. the same working process). We are looking for a partition of the set of part types into subsets called part families, and for a partition of the set of tasks into subsets called production subsystems defined as follows: (1) the number of part families and the number of production subsystems are equal, (2) one (one only one) production subsystem corresponds to each part family, (3) one (and only one) part family corresponds to each production subsystem, (4) the previous partitions minimize the number of tasks performed in a production subsystem different from that which corresponds to the part family containing the part involved. We give a fast algorithm which leads to a good solution depending on the initial set of part families. We also propose an algorithm to find a ‘good’ initial set of part families.     

Partition and composition matrices

This paper introduces two matrix analogues for set partitions. A composition matrix on a finite set X is an upper triangular matrix whose entries partition X, and for which there are no rows or columns containing only empty sets. A partition matrix is a composition matrix in which an order is placed on where entries may appear relative to one-another.We show that partition matrices are in one-to-one correspondence with inversion tables. Non-decreasing inversion tables are shown to correspond to partition matrices with a row ordering relation. Partition matrices which are s-diagonal are classified in terms of inversion tables. Bidiagonal partition matrices are enumerated using the transfer-matrix method and are equinumerous with permutations which are sortable by two pop-stacks in parallel.We show that composition matrices on X are in one-to-one correspondence with (2+2)-free posets on X. Also, composition matrices whose rows satisfy a column-ordering relation are shown to be in one-to-one correspondence with parking functions. Finally, we show that pairs of ascent sequences and permutations are in one-to-one correspondence with (2+2)-free posets whose elements are the cycles of a permutation, and use this relation to give an expression for the number of (2+2)-free posets on {1,…,n}.     

Alternating sign matrices and descending plane partitions

An alternating sign matrix is a square matrix such that (i) all entries are 1, ?1, or 0, (ii) every row and column has sum 1, and (iii) in every row and column the nonzero entries alternate in sign. Striking numerical evidence of a connection between these matrices and the descending plane partitions introduced by Andrews (Invent. Math.53 (1979), 193–225) have been discovered, but attempts to prove the existence of such a connection have been unsuccessful. This evidence, however, did suggest a method of proving the Andrews conjecture on descending plane partitions, which in turn suggested a method of proving the Macdonald conjecture on cyclically symmetric plane partitions (Invent. Math.66 (1982), 73–87). In this paper is a discussion of alternating sign matrices and descending plane partitions, and several conjectures and theorems about them are presented.     

Elementary Proofs of Identities for Schur Functions and Plane Partitions

We use elementary methods to prove formulas that represent sums of restricted classes of Schur functions as ratios of determinants. This includes recent formulas for sums over bounded partitions with even parts and sums over bounded partitions whose conjugates have only even parts. All of these formulas imply plane partition generating functions.     

Weighted Rogers–Ramanujan partitions and Dyson crank

In this paper, we refine a weighted partition identity of Alladi. We write formulas for generating functions for the number of partitions grouped with respect to a partition statistic other than the norm. We tie our weighted results as well as the different statistics with the crank of a partition. In particular, we prove that the number of partitions into even number of distinct parts whose odd-indexed parts’ sum is n is equal to the number of partitions of n with non-negative crank.     

On the Singularity of Random Bernoulli Matrices— Novel Integer Partitions and Lower Bound Expansions

We prove a lower bound expansion on the probability that a random ±1 matrix is singular, and conjecture that such expansions govern the actual probability of singularity. These expansions are based on naming the most likely, second most likely, and so on, ways that a Bernoulli matrix can be singular; the most likely way is to have a null vector of the form e _i ±e _j , which corresponds to the integer partition 11, with two parts of size 1. The second most likely way is to have a null vector of the form e _i ±e _j ±e _k ±e _? , which corresponds to the partition 1111. The fifth most likely way corresponds to the partition 21111. We define and characterize the “novel partitions” which show up in this series. As a family, novel partitions suffice to detect singularity, i.e., any singular Bernoulli matrix has a left null vector whose underlying integer partition is novel. And, with respect to this property, the family of novel partitions is minimal. We prove that the only novel partitions with six or fewer parts are 11, 1111, 21111, 111111, 221111, 311111, and 322111. We prove that there are fourteen novel partitions having seven parts. We formulate a conjecture about which partitions are “first place and runners up” in relation to the Erd?s-Littlewood-Offord bound. We prove some bounds on the interaction between left and right null vectors.     

A partial theta identity of Ramanujan and its number-theoretic interpretation

We will interpret a partial theta identity in Ramanujan’s Lost Notebook as a weighted partition theorem involving partitions into distinct parts with smallest part odd. A special case of this yields a new result on the parity of the number of parts in such partitions, comparable to Euler’s pentagonal numbers theorem. We will provide simple and novel proofs of the weighted partition theorem and the special case. Our proof leads to a companion to Ramanujan’s partial theta identity which we will explain combinatorially.