On majorization and Schur products

Suppose A, D₁,…,D_m are n × n matrices where A is self-adjoint, and let $\text{X = Σ}{}^{\mathrm{m}}{}_{\mathrm{k\; =\; 1}}\text{D}{}_{\mathrm{k}}\text{AD}{}^1{}_{\mathrm{k}}$. It is shown that if $\text{ΣD}{}_{\mathrm{k}}\text{D}{}^1{}_{\mathrm{k}}\text{= ΣD}{}^1{}_{\mathrm{k}}\text{D}{}_{\mathrm{k}}\text{= I}$, then the spectrum of X is majorized by the spectrum of A. In general, without assuming any condition on D₁,…,D_m, a result is obtained in terms of weak majorization. If each D_k is a diagonal matrix, then X is equal to the Schur (entrywise) product of A with a positive semidefinite matrix. Thus the results are applicable to spectra of Schur products of positive semidefinite matrices. If A, B are self-adjoint with B positive semidefinite and if b_ii = 1 for each i, it follows that the spectrum of the Schur product of A and B is majorized by that of A. A stronger version of a conjecture due to Marshall and Olkin is also proved.     

On exponential bases for the Sobolev spaces over an interval

We suppose that K is a countable index set and that $\text{Λ = {λ}{}_{\mathrm{k}}\text{¦ k ? K}}$ is a sequence of distinct complex numbers such that forms a Riesz (strong) basis for L²[a, b], a < b. Let Σ = {σ₁, σ₂,…, σ_m} consist of m complex numbers not in Λ. Then, with p(λ) = Π_{k = 1}^m (λ ? σ_k), forms a Riesz (strong) bas Sobolev space H^m[a, b]. If we take σ₁, σ₂,…, σ_m to be complex numbers already in Λ, then, defining p(λ) as before, forms a Riesz (strong) basis for the space H^?m[a, b]. We also discuss the extension of these results to “generalized exponentials” tⁿe^λ_kt.     

The asymptotic eigenvalue-distribution for a certain class of random matrices

For an n × n Hermitean matrix A with eigenvalues λ₁, …, λ_n the eigenvalue-distribution is defined by $\text{G(x, A) :=}\text{1}\text{n}$ · number {λ_i: λ_i ? x} for all real x. Let A_n for n = 1, 2, … be an n × n matrix, whose entries a_ik are for i, k = 1, …, n independent complex random variables on a probability space (Ω, $\text{R}$, p) with the same distribution F_a. Suppose that all moments $\text{E}$ | a | ^k, k = 1, 2, … are finite, $\text{E}$a=0 and $\text{E}$ | a | ². Let

$\text{M(A)=}\text{∑}\text{σ=1}\text{s}\text{θ}{}_{\mathrm{\sigma }}\text{P}{}_{\mathrm{\sigma }}\text{(A,A}{}^1\text{)}$

with complex numbers θ_σ and finite products P_σ of factors A and $\text{A}{}^1$ (= Hermitean conjugate) be a function which assigns to each matrix A an Hermitean matrix M(A). The following limit theorem is proved: There exists a distribution function G₀(x) = G₁x) + G₂(x), where G₁ is a step function and G₂ is absolutely continuous, such that with probability $\text{1 G(x, M(}\text{A}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{n}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{))}$ converges to G₀(x) as n → ∞ for all continuity points x of G₀. The density g of G₂ vanishes outside a finite interval. There are only finitely many jumps of G₁. Both, G₁ and G₂, can explicitly be expressed by means of a certain algebraic function f, which is determined by equations, which can easily be derived from the special form of M(A). This result is analogous to Wigner's semicircle theorem for symmetric random matrices (E. P. Wigner, Random matrices in physics, SIAM Review9 (1967), 1–23). The examples $\text{A}{}_{\mathrm{r}}\text{A}{}^{\mathrm{1r}}$, $\text{A}{}^{\mathrm{r}}\text{+ A}{}^{\mathrm{1r}}$, $\text{A}{}^{\mathrm{r}}\text{A}{}^{\mathrm{1r}}\text{± A}{}^{\mathrm{1r}}\text{A}{}^{\mathrm{r}}$, r = 1, 2, …, are discussed in more detail. Some inequalities for random matrices are derived. It turns out that with probability 1 the sharpened form

$\text{lim sup}\text{n→∞}\text{∑}\text{i=1}{}^{\mathrm{n}}\text{|γ}{}_{\mathrm{i}}{}^{\mathrm{(n)}}\text{|}{}^2\text{?6A}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{6}{}^2\text{? 0.8228…}$

of Schur's inequality for the eigenvalues λ_i⁽ⁿ⁾ of A_n holds. Consequently random matrices do not tend to be normal matrices for large n.     

On the closability of some positive definite symmetric differential forms on c0∞(ω)

Let $\text{S}$ be a Dirichlet form in $\text{L}{}^2\text{(Ω; m)}$, where Ω is an open subset of $\text{R}$ⁿ, n ? 2, and m a Radon measure on Ω; for each integer k with 1 ? k < n, let $\text{S}$_k be a Dirichlet form on some k-dimensional submanifold $\text{Ω}{}_{\mathrm{k}}$ of Ω. The paper is devoted to the study of the closability of the forms E with domain $\text{C}{}_0{}^{\mathrm{\infty }}\text{(Ω)}$ and defined by: $\text{(?,g)=}$$\text{E}$$\text{(?, g)+}\text{∑}\text{i}\text{p}\text{=1}$$\text{E}$k_i where 1 ? k_p < ? < n, and where , g^k_i denote restrictions of ?, g in $\text{C}{}_0{}^{\mathrm{\infty }}\text{(Ω)}$ to . Conditions are given for E to be closable if, for each i = 1,…, p, one has k_i = n ? i. Other conditions are given for E to be nonclosable if, for some i, k_i < n ? i.     

An asymptotic evaluation of the cycle index of a symmetric group

Let $\text{Z(S}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{;?(x))}$ denote the polynomial obtained from the cycle index of the symmetric group Z(S_n) by replacing each variable s_i by f(x¹). Let f(x) have a Taylor series with radius of convergence ? of the form f(x)=x^k + a_k+1x^k+1 + a_k+2x^k+2+? with every a₁?0. Finally, let 0<x<1 and let x??. We prove that

This limit is used to estimate the probability (for n and p both large) that a point chosen at random from a random p-point tree has degree n + 1. These limiting probabilities are independent of p and decrease geometrically in n, contrasting with the labeled limiting probabilities of $\text{1}\text{n!e}$.In order to prove the main theorem, an appealing generalization of the principle of inclusion and exclusion is presented.     

The probability that k positive integers are relatively r-prime

If r, k are positive integers, then $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{k}}{}^{\mathrm{r}}\text{(n)}$ denotes the number of k-tuples of positive integers (x₁, x₂, …, x_k) with 1 ≤ x_i ≤ n and (x₁, x₂, …, x_k)_r = 1. An explicit formula for $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{k}}{}^{\mathrm{r}}\text{(n)}$ is derived and it is shown that $\text{lim}{}_{\mathrm{n\to \infty }}\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{k}}{}^{\mathrm{r}}\text{(n)}\text{n}{}^{\mathrm{k}}\text{=}\text{1}\text{ζ(rk)}$.If S = {p₁, p₂, …, p_a} is a finite set of primes, then 〈S〉 = {p₁^a₁p₂^a₂…p_s^a_s; p_i ∈ S and a_i ≥ 0 for all i} and $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{k}}{}^{\mathrm{r}}\text{(S, n)}$ denotes the number of k-tuples (x₁, x₃, …, x_k) with 1 ≤ x_i ≤ n and (x₁, x₂, …, x_k)_r ∈ 〈S〉. Asymptotic formulas for $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{k}}{}^{\mathrm{r}}\text{(S, n)}$ are derived and it is shown that $\text{lim}{}_{\mathrm{n\to \infty }}\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{k}}{}^{\mathrm{r}}\text{(S, n)}\text{n}{}^{\mathrm{k}}\text{=}\text{(p}{}_1\text{… p}{}_{\mathrm{a}}\text{)}{}^{\mathrm{rk}}\text{ζ(rk)(p}{}_1{}^{\mathrm{rk}}\text{? 1) … (p}{}_{\mathrm{s}}{}^{\mathrm{rk}}\text{? 1)}$.     

On the van der Waerden conjecture and zeros of polynomials

Let

$\text{F(x) =}\text{∑}\text{k=o}\text{n}\text{n}\text{k}\text{A}{}_{\mathrm{k}}\text{x}{}^{\mathrm{k}}$

$\text{A}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{≠ 0,}$

and

$\text{G(x) =}\text{∑}\text{k=o}\text{n}\text{n}\text{k}\text{B}{}_{\mathrm{k}}\text{x}{}^{\mathrm{k}}$

$\text{B}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{≠ 0,}$

be polynomials with real zeros satisfying A_n?1 = B_n?1 = 0, and let

$\text{H(x) =}\text{∑}\text{k=o}\text{n-2}\text{n}\text{k}\text{A}{}_{\mathrm{k}}\text{B}{}_{\mathrm{k}}\text{x}{}^{\mathrm{k}}\text{.}$

Using the recently proved validity of the van der Waerden conjecture on permanents, some results on the real zeros of H(x) are obtained. These results are related to classical results on composite polynomials.     

Deterministic version of Wigner's semicircle law for the distribution of matrix eigenvalues

It is proved that Wigner's semicircle law for the distribution of eigenvalues of random matrices, which is important in the statistical theory of energy levels of heavy nuclei, possesses the following completely deterministic version. Let A_n=(a_ij), 1?i, ?n, be the nth section of an infinite Hermitian matrix, {λ⁽ⁿ⁾}_1?k?n its eigenvalues, and {u_k⁽ⁿ⁾}_1?k?n the corresponding (orthonormalized column) eigenvectors. Let $\text{v}{}^1{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{=(a}{}_{\mathrm{n1}}\text{,a}{}_{\mathrm{n2}}\text{,?,a}{}_{\mathrm{n,n?1}}\text{)}$, put

$\text{X}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{(t)=[n(n-1)]}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>-1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{∑}\text{k=1}\text{[(n-1)t]}\text{|v}{}_{\mathrm{n}}{}^1\text{u}{}_{\mathrm{f}}{}^{\mathrm{(n-1)}}\text{|}{}^2\text{,}\text{0?t?1}$

(bookeeping function for the length of the projections of the new row v¹_n of A_n onto the eigenvectors of the preceding matrix A_n?1), and let finally

$\text{F}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{(x)=n}{}^{-1}\text{(}\text{number of}\text{λ}{}_{\mathrm{k}}{}^{\mathrm{(n)}}\text{?x}\text{n}\text{,1?k?n)}$

(empirical distribution function of the eigenvalues of $\text{A}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{n}$. Suppose (i) $\text{lim}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{a}{}_{\mathrm{nn}}\text{n}\text{=0}$, (ii) lim_nX_n(t)=Ct(0<C<∞,0?t?1). Then

$\text{F}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{?W(·,C)}\text{(n→∞)}$

,where W is absolutely continuous with (semicircle) density

$\text{w(x,C)=}\text{(2Cπ)}{}^{-1}\text{(4C-x}{}^2{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{for}\text{|x|?2}\text{C}\text{0}\text{for}\text{|x|?2}\text{C}$

     

A fundamental theorem on lambda-matrices with applications —II. Difference equations with constant coefficients

The fundamental theorem of the title refers to a spectral resolution for the inverse of a lambda-matrix $\text{L(λ) =}\text{∑}\text{i=0}\text{l}\text{A}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{λ}{}^{\mathrm{i}}$ where the A_i are n×n complex matrices and detA_l ≠ 0. In this paper general solutions are formulated for difference equations of the form $\text{∑}\text{i=0}\text{l}\text{A}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{u}{}_{\mathrm{r\; +\; i}}\text{= ?}{}_{\mathrm{\gamma }}\text{, r = 1, 2,…}$. The use of these solutions is illustrated i new proof of Franklin's results describing the sums of powers of the eigenvalues of L(λ) (the generalized Newton identities), and in obtaining convergence proofs for the application of Bernoulli's method to the solution of $\text{∑}\text{i=0}\text{l}\text{A}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{S}{}^{\mathrm{i}}\text{= 0}$ for matrix S.     

Numerical approximation of product integrals

A technique for the numerical approximation of matrix-valued Riemann product integrals is developed. For a ? x < y ? b, I_m(x, y) denotes

$\text{∫}\text{χ}\text{y}\text{∫}\text{χ}\text{v}{}_2\text{?}\text{∫}\text{χ}\text{v}{}_2\text{∏}\text{i=1}\text{m}\text{F(ν}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{)dν}{}_1\text{dν}{}_2\text{?dν}{}_{\mathrm{m}}$

, and A_m(x, y) denotes an approximation of I_m(x, y) of the form

$\text{(y?x)}{}^{\mathrm{m}}\text{∑}\text{k=1}\text{n}\text{a}{}_{\mathrm{k}}\text{∏}\text{i=1}\text{m}\text{F(χ}{}_{\mathrm{ik}}\text{)}$

, where a_k and y_ik are fixed numbers for i = 1, 2,…, m and k = 1, 2,…, N and x_ik = x + (y ? x)y_ik. The following result is established. If p is a positive integer, F is a function from the real numbers to the set of w × w matrices with real elements and F⁽¹⁾ exists and is continuous on [a, b], then there exists a bounded interval function H such that, if n, r, and s are positive integers, $\text{(b ? a)}\text{n}\text{= h < 1, x}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{= a + hi}\text{for}\text{i = 0, 1,…, n}\text{and}\text{0 < r ? s ? n}$, then

$\text{∏}\text{χ}{}_{\mathrm{r?}}\text{χ}{}_{\mathrm{s}}\text{(I+F dχ)?}\text{∏}\text{i=r}\text{s}\text{I+}\text{∑}\text{j=1}\text{p}\text{I}{}_{\mathrm{j}}\text{(χ}{}_{\mathrm{i?1}}\text{,χ}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{)}$

$\text{=h}{}^{\mathrm{p}}\text{H(χ}{}_{\mathrm{r?1}}\text{,χ}{}_{\mathrm{s}}\text{)+O(h}{}^{\mathrm{p+1}}\text{)}$

Further, if F^(j) exists and is continuous on [a, b] for j = 1, 2,…, p + 1 and A is exact for polynomials of degree less than p + 1 ? j for j = 1, 2,…, p, then the preceding result remains valid when A_j is substituted for I_j.     

Enumeration of pairs of permutations

Let π = (a₁, a₂, …, a_n), ? = (b₁, b₂, …, b_n) be two permutations of $\text{Z}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{= {1, 2, …, n}}$. A rise of π is pair a_i, a_i+1 with a_i < a_i+1; a fall is a pair a_i, a_i+1 with a_i > a_i+1. Thus, for i = 1, 2, …, n ? 1, the two pairs a_i, a_i+1; b_i, b_i+1 are either both rises, both falls, the first a rise and the second a fall or the first a fall and the second a rise. These possibilities are denoted by RR, FF, RF, FR. The paper is concerned with the enumeration of pairs π, p with a given number of RR, FF, RF, FR. In particular if ω_n denotes the number of pairs with RR forbidden, it is proved that $\text{∑}{}^{\mathrm{\infty }}{}_0\text{ω}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{z}{}^{\mathrm{n}}\text{n!n!}\text{=}\text{1}\text{?(z)}$, $\text{?(z) = ∑}{}^{\mathrm{\infty }}{}_0\text{(-1)}{}^{\mathrm{n}}\text{z}{}^{\mathrm{n}}\text{n!n!}$. More precisely if ω(n, k) denotes the number of pairs π, p with exactly k occurences of RR(or FF, RF, FR) then $\text{1 + ∑}{}^{\mathrm{\infty }}{}_{\mathrm{n=1}}\text{z}{}^{\mathrm{n}}\text{n!n!}$$\text{∑}{}^{\mathrm{n?1}}{}_{\mathrm{k=0}}\text{ω(n, k)x}{}^{\mathrm{k}}\text{=}\text{(1 ? x)}\text{(?(z(1 ? x)) ? x)}$.     

Delayed random walks

A delayed random walk $\text{{S}{}^1{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{, n ≥ 0}}$ is defined here as a partial sum process of independent random variables in which the first N summands (N optional) are distributed F¹,…,F_N, respectively, while all remaining summands are distributed F₀, where {F_k, _k ≥ 0} is a sequence of proper distribution functions on the real line. Delayed random walks arise naturally in the study of certain generalized single server queues. This paper examines optional times of the process such as $\text{π = inf {n: n ≥ 1 and S}{}^1{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{≥ 0}}$. Conditions insuring the finiteness of E {π} and E {π²} are obtained, generating functions calculated, and illustrative examples given. The bivariate functions $\text{E{r}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{explsqbitS}{}^1{}_{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{rsqb}}$ and $\text{E {}\text{∑}\text{n=0}\text{π?1}\text{explsqbitS}{}^1{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{rsqb}}$ are studied for the case where N ≡ 1.     

Construction of a recurrence relation for modified moments

In this paper we are constructing a recurrence relation of the form

$\text{∑}\text{i=0}\text{r}\text{ω}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{(k)m}{}_{\mathrm{k+i}}{}^{\mathrm{\{\lambda \}}}\text{[f] = ω(k)}$

for integrals (called modified moments)

$\text{m}{}_{\mathrm{k}}{}^{\mathrm{\{\lambda \}}}\text{[f]df=}\text{∫}\text{?1}\text{1}\text{f(x)C}{}_{\mathrm{k}}{}^{\mathrm{(\lambda )}}\text{(x)dx (k = 0,1,…)}$

in which C_k^(λ) is the k-th Gegenbauer polynomial of order $\text{λ(λ > ?}\text{1}\text{2}\text{)}$, and f is a function satisfying the differential equation

$\text{∑}\text{i=0}\text{n}\text{P}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{(x)f}{}^{\mathrm{(i)}}\text{(x) = p(x) (?1?x?1)}$

of order n, where p₀, p₁, …, p_n ? 0 are polynomials, and m_k^〈λ〉[p] is known for every k. We give three methods of construction of such a recurrence relation. The first of them (called Method I) is optimum in a certain sense.     

A divided difference inequality for n-convex functions

For a₍₁₎ ? a₍₂₎ ? ··· ? a_(n) ? 0, b₍₁₎ ? b₍₂₎ ? ··· ? b_(n) ? 0, the ordered values of a_i, b_i, i = 1, 2,…, n, m fixed, m ? n, and p ? 1 it is shown that

$\text{∑}\text{1}\text{n}\text{a}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{b}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{?}\text{∑}\text{1}\text{m}\text{a}{}^{\mathrm{p}}{}_{\mathrm{(i)}}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>p</mtext>}}\text{∑}\text{1}\text{m?k?1}\text{b}{}^{\mathrm{q}}{}_{\mathrm{(i)}}\text{+}\text{b}{}^{\mathrm{q}}{}_{\mathrm{[m?k]}}\text{(k+1)}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>q</mtext><mtext>p</mtext>}}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>q</mtext>}}$

where $\text{1}\text{p}\text{+}\text{1}\text{q}\text{= 1, b}{}_{\mathrm{[j]}}\text{= b}{}_{\mathrm{(j)}}\text{+ b}{}_{\mathrm{(j\; +\; 1)}}\text{+ ··· + b}{}_{\mathrm{(n)}}\text{,}\text{and}\text{k}$ is the integer such that $\text{b}{}_{\mathrm{(m\; ?\; k\; ?\; 1)}}\text{?}\text{b[m ? k]}\text{(k + 1)}$ and $\text{b}{}_{\mathrm{(m\; ?\; k)}}\text{<}\text{b}{}_{\mathrm{[m\; ?\; k\; +\; 1]}}\text{k}$. The inequality is shown to be sharp. When p < 1 and a_(i)'s are in increasing order then the inequality is reversed.     

Elementary proof of the transformation formula for Lambert series involving generalized Dedekind sums

An elementary proof is given of the author's transformation formula for the Lambert series $\text{G}{}_{\mathrm{p}}\text{(x) =}\text{Σ}{}_{\mathrm{n?1}}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>\infty </mtext>}}\text{n}{}^{\mathrm{?p}}\text{x}{}^{\mathrm{n}}\text{(1?x}{}^{\mathrm{n}}\text{)}$ relating G_p(e^2πiτ) to G_p(e^2πiAτ), where p > 1 is an odd integer and $\text{Aτ =}\text{(aτ + b)}\text{(cτ + d)}$ is a general modular substitution. The method extends Sczech's argument for treating Dedekind's function $\text{log}\text{η(τ) =}\text{πiτ}\text{12}\text{? G}{}_1\text{(e}{}^{\mathrm{2\pi i\tau }}\text{)}$, and uses Carlitz's formula expressing generalized Dedekind sums in terms of Eulerian functions.     

On the probability that k positive integers are relatively prime II

Given a set S of positive integers let $\text{Z}{}_{\mathrm{k}}{}^{\mathrm{S}}\text{(t)}$ denote the number of k-tuples 〈m₁, …, m_k〉 for which $\text{m}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{∈ S ? [1, t]}$ and (m₁, …, m_k) = 1. Also let $\text{P}{}_{\mathrm{k}}{}^{\mathrm{S}}\text{(n)}$ denote the probability that k integers, chosen at random from $\text{S ? [1, n]}$, are relatively prime. It is shown that if P = {p₁, …, p_r} is a finite set of primes and S = {m : (m, p₁ … p_r) = 1}, then $\text{Z}{}_{\mathrm{k}}{}^{\mathrm{S}}\text{(t) = (td(S))}{}^{\mathrm{k}}\text{Π}{}_{\mathrm{\nu ?P}}\text{(1 ?}\text{1}\text{p}{}^{\mathrm{k}}\text{) + O(t}{}^{\mathrm{k?1}}\text{)}$ if k ≥ 3 and $\text{Z}{}_2{}^{\mathrm{S}}\text{(t) = (td(S))}{}^2\text{Π}{}_{\mathrm{p?P}}\text{(1 ?}\text{1}\text{p}{}^2\text{) + O(t}\text{log}\text{t)}$ where d(S) denotes the natural density of S. From this result it follows immediately that $\text{P}{}_{\mathrm{k}}{}^{\mathrm{S}}\text{(n) → Π}{}_{\mathrm{p?P}}\text{(1 ?}\text{1}\text{p}{}^{\mathrm{k}}\text{) = (ζ(k))}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}\text{Π}{}_{\mathrm{p\in P}}\text{(1 ?}\text{1}\text{p}{}^{\mathrm{k}}\text{)}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$ as n → ∞. This result generalizes an earlier result of the author's where $\text{P = ?}$ and S is then the whole set of positive integers. It is also shown that if S = {p₁^x₁ … p_r^x_r : x_i = 0, 1, 2,…}, then $\text{P}{}_{\mathrm{k}}{}^{\mathrm{S}}\text{(n) → 0}$ as n → ∞.     

On the fair coin tossing process

Let Ω = {1, 0} and for each integer n ≥ 1 let $\text{Ω}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{= Ω × Ω × … × Ω}$ (n-tuple) and $\text{Ω}{}_{\mathrm{n}}{}^{\mathrm{k}}\text{= {(a}{}_1\text{, a}{}_2\text{, …, a}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{)|(a}{}_1\text{, a}{}_2\text{, … , a}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{) ? Ω}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{and}\text{Σ}{}_{\mathrm{i=1}}{}^{\mathrm{n}}\text{a}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{= k}}$ for all k = 0,1,…,n. Let {Y_m}_m≥1 be a sequence of i.i.d. random variables such that $\text{P(Y}{}_1\text{= 0) = P(Y}{}_1\text{= 1) =}\text{1}\text{2}$. For each A in $\text{Ω}{}_{\mathrm{n}}$, let T_A be the first occurrence time of A with respect to the stochastic process {Y_m}_m≥1. R. Chen and A.Zame (1979, J. Multivariate Anal. 9, 150–157) prove that if n ≥ 3, then for each element A in $\text{Ω}{}_{\mathrm{n}}$, there is an element B in $\text{Ω}{}_{\mathrm{n}}$ such that the probability that T_B is less than T_A is greater than $\text{1}\text{2}$. This result is sharpened as follows: (I) for n ≥ 4 and 1 ≤ k ≤ n ? 1, each element A in $\text{Ω}{}_{\mathrm{n}}{}^{\mathrm{k}}$, there is an element B also in $\text{Ω}{}_{\mathrm{n}}{}^{\mathrm{k}}$ such that the probability that T_B is less than T_A is greater than $\text{1}\text{2}$; (II) for n ≥ 4 and 1 ≤ k ≤ n ? 1, each element A = (a₁, a₂,…,a_n) in $\text{Ω}{}_{\mathrm{n}}{}^{\mathrm{k}}$, there is an element C also in $\text{Ω}{}_{\mathrm{n}}{}^{\mathrm{k}}$ such that the probability that T_A is less than T_C is greater than $\text{1}\text{2}$ if n ≠ 2m or n = 2m but a_i = a_{i + 1} for some 1 ≤ i ≤ n?1. These new results provide us with a better and deeper understanding of the fair coin tossing process.     

Binomial self-inverse sequences and tangent coefficients

This paper treats the class of sequences {a_n} that satisfy the recurrence relation

$\text{a}{}_{\mathrm{2n+1}}\text{=∑}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>k=0</mtext>}}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>n</mtext>}}\text{(?1)}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>k</mtext>}}\text{(}\text{n}\text{k}\text{a}{}_{\mathrm{k}}\text{d}{}^{\mathrm{n?k}}$

between the odd and even terms of {a_n} that involves the coefficients of tan(t), namely

$\text{a}{}_{\mathrm{2n+1}}\text{=∑}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>k=0</mtext>}}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>n</mtext>}}\text{(?1)}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>k</mtext>}}\text{(}\text{2}\text{n}\text{+1}\text{2}\text{k}\text{+1}\text{)}\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{k}}\text{(d/2)}{}^{\mathrm{2k+1}}\text{a}{}_{\mathrm{2n?2k}}$

A combinatorial setting is then provided to elucidate the appearance of the tangent coefficients in this equation.