## Left-inversion of combinatorial sums.(English)Zbl 0903.05005

Let $$\kappa$$ be any field of characteristic zero; e.g., $$\kappa= \mathbb{R}$$ or $$\mathbb{C}$$. Consider the algebra $$\kappa [[t]]$$ of formal series $$f(t)= \sum_{k\geq 0} f_kt^k$$. The notation $$[t^k] (\dots)$$ for ‘the coefficient of $$t^k$$ in the series $$(\dots)$$’ is being used; so, $$[t^k] f(t)= f_k$$ and $$f(t)$$ serves for the usual generating function of $$(f_k\mid k\in \mathbb{N}_0)$$. A Riordan array is a pair $$(d(t), h(t))$$ of formal series with $$d(t)$$ of order 0; it defines the triangular array $$(d_{n,k} \mid n,k\in \mathbb{N}_0$$ and $$k\leq n)$$ of elements in $$\kappa$$ according to the rule $$d_{n,k}= [t^n]d(t) (th(t))^k$$. For such an array $$\sum^n_{k=0} d_{n,k} f_k=[t^n] d(t)f (th(t))$$ holds. An example of a Riordan array is provided by $$d(t)= h(t)= (1-t)^{-1}$$. It defines the Pascal triangle. Any series $$f(t)$$ of order one has the inverse, i.e. the unique series $$g(t)$$ such that $$(f\circ g)(t)= t=(g \circ f)(t)$$. The coefficients of $$g(t)$$ are given by Lagrangian inversion, $$g_n= {1\over n!} \Biggl[\Bigl( {d\over dt} \Bigr)^{n-1} \Bigl({t \over f(t)} \Bigr)^n \Biggr]_{t=0}$$ $$(n\geq 1)$$. Inverting combinatorial sums may be considered a center of attraction in combinatorics [see J. Riordan, Am. Math. Mon. 71, 485-498 (1964; Zbl 0128.01603) or Combinatorial identities (1968; Zbl 0194.00502)]. In this paper the concepts of Riordan array and Lagrange inversion are used to give a new approach to this question. To explain the essence of what is proposed the authors use the relation $$a_n= \sum^{\lfloor {n\over 2} \rfloor}_{k =0} {n \choose 2k} b_k$$ with $$(b_k\mid k\in \mathbb{N}_0)$$ given. To invert this combinatorial sum, take the array $$D=((1-t)^{-1}$$, $$t(1-t)^{-2})$$ with $$d_{n,k}= [t^n]((1-t)^{-1} (t(1-t)^{-2})^k) ={n \choose 2k}$$. As the diagonal elements $$d_{n,n}$$ $$(n>0)$$ are all zero, it is impossible to use Cauchy inversion. However, the following way out is proposed. For the generating functions $$a(t)$$ and $$b(t)$$ for $$(a_k)$$ and $$(b_k)$$, correspondingly, it holds $$a(t)= b(t^2(1-t)^{-2}) (1-t)^{-1}$$; it follows $$b(y)= [(1-t)a(t)\mid y =t^2(1-t)^{-2}]$$. By Lagrange inversion one obtains $b_n=[y^n] b(y)= {1\over 2n} [t^{2n-1}] \bigl((1-t) a'(t)- a(t)\bigr)(1-t)^{2n} =\sum^{2n}_{k=0} (-1)^k {2n \choose k} a_k.$ Using the arrays $$P=\{ {n \choose 2k} \mid n,k\in \mathbb{N}_0\}$$ and $$\widetilde P= \{(-1)^k {2n \choose k} \mid n,k\in \mathbb{N}_0\}$$ one can check that $$\widetilde PP=I$$ and $$P\widetilde PP= P$$, showing that $$\widetilde P$$ is the ‘left-inverse’ array of $$P$$. In this reasoning there is a delicate point, because the used identities $$y=t^2 (1-t)^{-2}$$ and $$t= \sqrt y(1-t)$$ are not equivalent. According to P. Henrici [Applied and computational complex analysis (1991)] the functional equation $$y=h(t)$$ with $$\text{ord} (h(t))=2$$ has the two solutions $$t_1(y)= \sqrt y(1+ \sqrt y)^{-1}$$ and $$t_2(y)= -\sqrt y\cdot (1-\sqrt y)^{-1}$$ belonging to $$\kappa [y^{1/2}]$$. Only one of these solutions is chosen to perform the Lagrange inversion.
In this well-written paper the authors justify such a choice of a single solution of a given functional equation and examine the corresponding process of left inversion. Their results (Theorems 2.3 and 2.4) provide a method for inverting combinatorial sums $$a_n= \sum^{\lfloor {n\over s} \rfloor}_{k=0} d_{n,k} b_k$$ for Riordan arrays $$\{d_{n,k}\}$$ with $$s= \text{ord} (h(t))\geq 1$$, which gives left-inverses $$b_n= \sum^{ns}_{k=0} \widetilde d_{n,k} a_k$$ (here $$\widetilde d_{n,k}$$ denotes the generic element of the inverse array). Several concise examples are given by the authors showing that this approach properly includes inversions treated by J. Riordan [loc. cit.]. Also, this paper extends umbral results by W. A. Al-Salam and A. Verma [Duke Math. J. 37, 361-365 (1970; Zbl 0205.07603)] and by A. Di Bucchianico [PhD Thesis, Rijksunitversiteit Groningen (1991)] to the streched arrays. Everybody interested in combinatorial identities and Lagrange inversion should consult this important paper for further information.

### MSC:

 05A19 Combinatorial identities, bijective combinatorics 05A15 Exact enumeration problems, generating functions 05A40 Umbral calculus

### Citations:

Zbl 0128.01603; Zbl 0194.00502; Zbl 0205.07603
Full Text:

### Online Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences:

Binomial transform of the centered triangular numbers A005448.

### References:

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