English

Elementary symmetric partitions

Combinatorics 2024-10-28 v3

Abstract

Let e_k(x_1,...,x_l) be an elementary symmetric polynomial and let mu = (mu_1,...,mu_l) be an integer partition. Define pre_k(mu) to be the partition whose parts are the summands in the evaluation e_k(mu_1,...,mu_l). The study of such partitions was initiated by Ballantine, Beck, and Merca who showed (among other things) that pre_2 is injective as a map on binary partitions of n. In the present work we derive a host of identities involving the sequences which count the number of parts of a given value in the image of pre_2. These include generating functions, explicit expressions, and formulas for forward differences. We generalize some of these to d-ary partitions and explore connections with color partitions. Our techniques include the use of generating functions and bijections on rooted partitions. We end with a list of conjectures and a direction for future research.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2409.11268,
  title  = {Elementary symmetric partitions},
  author = {Cristina Ballantine and George Beck and Mircea Merca and Bruce Sagan},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2409.11268},
  year   = {2024}
}

Comments

21 pages

R2 v1 2026-06-28T18:47:56.751Z