Moments of combinatorial and Catalan numbers

In this paper we obtain the moments {Φm}_m?0 defined by

     

Catalan matrix and related combinatorial identities

We introduce the notion of the Catalan matrix whose non-zero elements are expressions which contain the Catalan numbers arranged into a lower triangular Toeplitz matrix. Inverse of the Catalan matrix is derived. Correlations between the matrix and the generalized Pascal matrix are considered. Some combinatorial identities involving Catalan numbers, binomial coefficients and the generalized hypergeometric function are derived using these correlations. Moreover, an additional explicit representation of the Catalan number, as well as an explicit representation of the sum of the first m Catalan numbers are given.     

Some identities on Catalan numbers and hypergeometric functions via Catalan matrix power

In this paper we use the Catalan matrix power as a tool for deriving identities involving Catalan numbers and hypergeometric functions. For that purpose, we extend earlier investigated relations between the Catalan matrix and the Pascal matrix by inserting the Catalan matrix power and particulary the squared Catalan matrix in those relations. We also pay attention to some relations between Catalan matrix powers of different degrees, which allows us to derive the simplification formula for hypergeometric function ₃F₂, as well as the simplification formula for the product of the Catalan number and the hypergeometric function ₃F₂. Some identities involving Catalan numbers, proved by the non-matrix approach, are also given.     

p-Catalan numbers and squarefree binomial coefficients

In this paper, we consider the generalized Catalan numbers , which we call s-Catalan numbers. For p prime, we find all positive integers n such that p^q divides F(p^q,n), and also determine all distinct residues of , q?1. As a byproduct we settle a question of Hough and the late Simion on the divisibility of the 4-Catalan numbers by 4. In the second part of the paper we prove that if pq?99999, then is not squarefree for n?τ₁(p^q) sufficiently large (τ₁(p^q) computable). Moreover, using the results of the first part, we find n<τ₁(p^q) (in base p), for which may be squarefree. As consequences, we obtain that is squarefree only for n=1,3,45, and is squarefree only for n=1,4,10.     

Riordan arrays and r-Stirling number identities

By using the theory of Riordan arrays, we establish four pairs of general r-Stirling number identities, which reduce to various identities on harmonic numbers, hyperharmonic numbers, the Stirling numbers of the first and second kind, the r-Stirling numbers of the first and second kind, and the r-Lah numbers. We further discuss briefly the connections between the r-Stirling numbers and the Cauchy numbers, the generalized hyperharmonic numbers, and the poly-Bernoulli polynomials. Many known identities are shown to be special cases of our results, and the combinatorial interpretations of several particular identities are also presented as supplements.     

Several identities in the Catalan triangle

In this paper, we first establish several identities for the alternating sums in the Catalan triangle whose (n, p) entry is defined by B _{n, p} = $ \tfrac{p} {n}\left( {_{n - p}^{2n} } \right) $ \tfrac{p} {n}\left( {_{n - p}^{2n} } \right) . Second, we show that the Catalan triangle matrix C can be factorized by C = FY = ZF, where F is the Fibonacci matrix. From these formulas, some interesting identities involving B _{n, p} and the Fibonacci numbers F _n are given. As special cases, some new relationships between the well-known Catalan numbers C _n and the Fibonacci numbers are obtained, for example:

Yet another way of calculating moments of the Kesten's distribution and its consequences for Catalan numbers and Catalan triangles

We calculate moments of the so-called Kesten distribution by means of the expansion of the denominator of the density of this distribution and then integrate all summands with respect to the semicircle distribution. By comparing this expression with the formulae for the moments of Kesten's distribution obtained by other means, we find identities involving polynomials whose power coefficients are closely related to Catalan numbers, Catalan triangles, binomial coefficients. Finally, as applications of these identities we obtain various interesting relations between the aforementioned numbers, also concerning Lucas, Fibonacci and Fine numbers.     

Sequences of Ordered Sets and Catalan Numbers

We define the down sets (lower covers, respectively) sequence of an ordered set. We show that the number of down set sequences of an n-ordered set is equal to the n-th Catalan Number. We give a characterization of down sets sequences of an ordered set and another characterization of lower covers sequences of an ordered set.     

Integral presentations of Catalan numbers

We compute in three different ways the same definite parametric integral. By-products are the derivation of a combinatorial identity and two integral presentations of Catalan numbers. One of them leads to a presentation using the γ function.     

Ballot matrix as Catalan matrix power and related identities

We use an analytical approach to find the kth power of the Catalan matrix. Precisely, it is proven that the power of the Catalan matrix is a lower triangular Toeplitz matrix which contains the well-known ballot numbers. A result from [H. S. Wilf, Generatingfunctionology, Academic Press, New York, 1990, Free download available from http://www.math.upenn.edu/~wilf/Downld.html.], related to the generating function for Catalan numbers, is extended to the negative integers. Three interesting representations for Catalan numbers by means of the binomial coefficients and the hypergeometric functions are obtained using relations between Catalan matrix powers.     

Divisibility of generalized Catalan numbers

We define a q generalization of weighted Catalan numbers studied by Postnikov and Sagan, and prove a result on the divisibility by p of such numbers when p is a prime and q its power.     

明安图与Catalan数

中国数学家明安图在其《割圜密率捷法》中最先应用了Catalan数,取得优秀的研究成果.本文简介明安图的计数成就和Catalan数,综述国内外对明安图应用该数的研究.特别地,近两年来英国的Larcombe发表了5篇文章,对明安图的成果——包含Catalan数的sin（2pa）展开式,加以推广,并给出明安图确定Catalan 数的第二种方法的严格代数证明.     

Classroom note: Sawtooth functions

Using MAPLE enables students to consider many examples which would be very tedious to work out by hand. This applies to graph plotting as well as to algebraic manipulation. The challenge is to use these observations to develop the students’ understanding of mathematical concepts. In this note an interesting relationship arising from inverse trigonometric functions is analysed. To understand what is going on students have to develop an understanding of how to deal with inverses where a function is not 1–1, by restricting the domain. The piece of work developed here also provides some interesting exercises in proof by induction.     

New proofs of identities of Lebesgue and Göllnitz via tilings

In 1840, V.A. Lebesgue proved the following two series-product identities: