English

Total positivity of recursive matrices

Combinatorics 2016-01-22 v1

Abstract

Let A=[an,k]n,k0A=[a_{n,k}]_{n,k\ge 0} be an infinite lower triangular matrix defined by the recurrence a0,0=1,an+1,k=rkan,k1+skan,k+tk+1an,k+1,a_{0,0}=1,\quad a_{n+1,k}=r_{k}a_{n,k-1}+s_{k}a_{n,k}+t_{k+1}a_{n,k+1}, where an,k=0a_{n,k}=0 unless nk0n\ge k\ge 0 and rk,sk,tkr_k,s_k,t_k are all nonnegative. Many well-known combinatorial triangles are such matrices, including the Pascal triangle, the Stirling triangle (of the second kind), the Bell triangle, the Catalan triangles of Aigner and Shapiro. We present some sufficient conditions such that the recursive matrix AA is totally positive. As applications we give the total positivity of the above mentioned combinatorial triangles in a unified approach.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1601.05645,
  title  = {Total positivity of recursive matrices},
  author = {Xi Chen and Huyile Liang and Yi Wang},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1601.05645},
  year   = {2016}
}
R2 v1 2026-06-22T12:34:10.328Z