Related papers: Flexagons yield a curious Catalan number identity
We prove a combinatorial identity relating Catalan numbers to tangent numbers arising from the study of peak algebra that was conjectured by Aliniaeifard and Li. This identity leads to the discovery of the intriguing identity $$…
We provide an involution proof of a Catalan-tangent number identity arising from the study of peak algebra that was found by Aliniaeifard and Li. In the course, we find a new combinatorial identity for the tangent numbers $T_{2n+1}$: $$…
It is well known that the Catalan number C_n counts dissections of a regular (n+2)-gon into triangles. Here we count such dissections by number of triangles that contain two sides of the polygon among their three edges, leading to a…
Foldable paper constructions known as flexagons have been studied since 1939. In this paper we review the construction of hexagonal flexagons (hexaflexagons) and compute the number of distinct hexaflexagons with n faces.
This paper examines the recursive sequence of polynomials $p_n(x)$, defined by $p_0(x) = x^2 - 2$ and $p_n(x) = p_{n-1}(x)^2 - 2$ for $n \geq 1$. It describes the field-theoretic motivations behind this sequence, derives a recursive formula…
During the study of dual sequences, Sun introduced the polynomials \[ D_n(x,y)=\sum_{k=0}^{n}{n\choose k}{x\choose k}y^k\text{ and } S_n(x,y)=\sum_{k=0}^{n}\binom{n}{k}\binom{x}{k}\binom{-1-x}{k} y^k. \] Many related congruences have been…
The Catalan numbers $C_k$ were first studied by Euler, in the context of enumerating triangulations of polygons $P_{k+2}$. Among the many generalizations of this sequence, the Fuss-Catalan numbers $C^{(d)}_k$ count enumerations of…
We establish combinatorial interpretations of several identities for the Catalan and Fine numbers and, along the way, we present some new bijections of independent interest. Briefly, we show that C_{n} = 1/(n+1) Sum_{k} (n+1)choose(2k+1)…
We give a new proof of the $k$-fold convolution of the Catalan numbers. This is done by enumerating a certain class of polygonal dissections called $k$-in-$n$ dissections. Furthermore, we give a formula for the average number of cycles in a…
Following Benjamin et al., a matrix with entries being sums of two neighbouring Catalan numbers is considered. Its LU-decomposition is given, by guessing the results and later prove it by computer algebra, with lots of human help.…
We extend our investigation of $2$-determinants, which we defined in a previous paper. For a linear homogenous recurrence of the second order, we consider relations between different sequences satisfying the same linear homogeneous…
In this paper we establish some new congruences involving central binomial coefficients as well as Catalan numbers. Let $p$ be a prime and let $a$ be any positive integer. We determine $\sum_{k=0}^{p^a-1}\binom{2k}{k+d}$ mod $p^2$ for…
In previous work on Clebsch-Gordan coefficients, certain remarkable hexagonal arrays of integers are constructed that display behaviors found in Pascal's Triangle. We explain these behaviors further using the binomial transform and discrete…
By a very simple argument, we prove that if $l,m,n$ are nonnegative integers then $$\sum_{k=0}^l(-1)^{m-k}\binom{l}{k}\binom{m-k}{n}\binom{2k}{k-2l+m} =\sum_{k=0}^l\binom{l}{k}\binom{2k}{n}\binom{n-l}{m+n-3k-l}. On the basis of this…
Let $n\geq2$ be an integer. In this paper, we study the convexity of the so-called MacMahon's $q$-Catalan polynomials $C_n(q)=\frac1{[n+1]_q}\left[ 2n \atop n \right]_q$ as functions of $q$. Along the way, several intermediate results on…
We prove the following conjecture of Zeilberger. Denoting by $C_n$ the Catalan number, define inductively $A_n$ by $(-1)^{n-1}A_n=C_n+\sum_{j=1}^{n-1} (-1)^{j} \binom{2n-1}{2j-1} A_j \,C_{n-j}$ and $a_n=2A_n/C_n$. Then $a_n$ (hence $A_n$)…
By using the Newton interpolation formula, we generalize the recent identities on the Catalan triangle obtained by Miana and Romero as well as those of Chen and Chu. We further study divisibility properties of sums of products of binomial…
Smith normal form evaluations found by Bessenrodt and Stanley for some Hankel matrices of q-Catalan numbers are proven in two ways. One argument generalizes the Bessenrodt-Stanley results for the Smith normal form of a certain multivariate…
In this note, we explore certain determinantal descriptions of the Robbins numbers. Techniques used for this include continued fractions, Riordan arrays and series inversion. Proven and conjectured representations involve the determinants…
Bargraphs are a special class of convex polyominoes. They can be identified with lattice paths with unit steps north, east, and south that start at the origin, end on the $x$-axis, and stay strictly above the $x$-axis everywhere except at…