Ballot matrix as Catalan matrix power and related identities

We use an analytical approach to find the kth power of the Catalan matrix. Precisely, it is proven that the power of the Catalan matrix is a lower triangular Toeplitz matrix which contains the well-known ballot numbers. A result from [H. S. Wilf, Generatingfunctionology, Academic Press, New York, 1990, Free download available from http://www.math.upenn.edu/~wilf/Downld.html.], related to the generating function for Catalan numbers, is extended to the negative integers. Three interesting representations for Catalan numbers by means of the binomial coefficients and the hypergeometric functions are obtained using relations between Catalan matrix powers.     

Proofs of two conjectures on Catalan triangle numbers

We prove two conjectures on sums of products of Catalan triangle numbers, which were originally conjectured by Miana et al. [Discrete Math. 340 (2017), 2388–2397]. The first one is proved by using Zeilberger's algorithm, and the second one is proved by establishing its q-analogue.     

Further identities on Catalan numbers

Three summation formulae on the $\lambda$-extended Catalan numbers are established by means of hypergeometric series approach with one of them being provided a combinatorial proof through lattice path countings.     

Some identities on Catalan numbers and hypergeometric functions via Catalan matrix power

In this paper we use the Catalan matrix power as a tool for deriving identities involving Catalan numbers and hypergeometric functions. For that purpose, we extend earlier investigated relations between the Catalan matrix and the Pascal matrix by inserting the Catalan matrix power and particulary the squared Catalan matrix in those relations. We also pay attention to some relations between Catalan matrix powers of different degrees, which allows us to derive the simplification formula for hypergeometric function ₃F₂, as well as the simplification formula for the product of the Catalan number and the hypergeometric function ₃F₂. Some identities involving Catalan numbers, proved by the non-matrix approach, are also given.     

Lattice paths and the q-ballot polynomials

Two statistics with respect to “upper-corners” and “lower-corners” are introduced for lattice paths. The corresponding refined generating functions are shown to be closely related to the q-ballot polynomials that extend the well-known Narayana polynomials and Catalan numbers.     

Variations of the Catalan numbers from some nonassociative binary operations

We investigate certain nonassociative binary operations that satisfy a four-parameter generalization of the associative law. From this we obtain variations of the ubiquitous Catalan numbers and connections to many interesting combinatorial objects such as binary trees, plane trees, lattice paths, and permutations.     

Moments on Catalan numbers

By combining inverse series relations with binomial convolutions and telescoping method, moments of Catalan numbers are evaluated, which resolves a problem recently proposed by Gutiérrez et al. [J.M. Gutiérrez, M.A. Hernández, P.J. Miana, N. Romero, New identities in the Catalan triangle, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 341 (1) (2008) 52-61].     

Sums of powers of Catalan triangle numbers

In this paper, we consider combinatorial numbers ${\left(C_{m,k}\right)}_{m\ge 1,k\ge 0}$, mentioned as Catalan triangle numbers where $C_{m,k}?\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{m?1}{k}\right)?\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{m?1}{k?1}\right)$. These numbers unify the entries of the Catalan triangles $B_{n,k}$ and $A_{n,k}$ for appropriate values of parameters $m$ and $k$, i.e., $B_{n,k}=C_{2n,n?k}$ and $A_{n,k}=C_{2n+1,n+1?k}$. In fact, these numbers are suitable rearrangements of the known ballot numbers and some of these numbers are the well-known Catalan numbers $C_n$ that is $C_{2n,n?1}=C_{2n+1,n}=C_n$.We present identities for sums (and alternating sums) of $C_{m,k}$, squares and cubes of $C_{m,k}$ and, consequently, for $B_{n,k}$ and $A_{n,k}$. In particular, one of these identities solves an open problem posed in Gutiérrez et al. (2008). We also give some identities between ${\left(C_{m,k}\right)}_{m\ge 1,k\ge 0}$ and harmonic numbers ${\left(H_n\right)}_{n\ge 1}$. Finally, in the last section, new open problems and identities involving ${\left(C_n\right)}_{n\ge 0}$ are conjectured.     

Integral presentations of Catalan numbers

We compute in three different ways the same definite parametric integral. By-products are the derivation of a combinatorial identity and two integral presentations of Catalan numbers. One of them leads to a presentation using the γ function.     

Divisibility of generalized Catalan numbers

We define a q generalization of weighted Catalan numbers studied by Postnikov and Sagan, and prove a result on the divisibility by p of such numbers when p is a prime and q its power.     

Some identities on the Catalan, Motzkin and Schröder numbers

In this paper, some identities between the Catalan, Motzkin and Schröder numbers are obtained by using the Riordan group. We also present two combinatorial proofs for an identity related to the Catalan numbers with the Motzkin numbers and an identity related to the Schröder numbers with the Motzkin numbers, respectively.     

Identities from weighted Motzkin paths

Based on a weighted version of the bijection between Dyck paths and 2-Motzkin paths, we find combinatorial interpretations of two identities related to the Narayana polynomials and the Catalan numbers. These interpretations answer two questions posed recently by Coker.     

Moments of combinatorial and Catalan numbers

In this paper we obtain the moments {Φm}_m?0 defined by

     

Enumerations of peaks and valleys on non-decreasing Dyck paths

A valley in a Dyck path is a local minimum, and a peak is a local maximum. A Dyck path is non-decreasing if the $y$-coordinates of the valleys of the path valley form anon-decreasing sequence. In this paper we provide some statistics about peaks and valleys in non-decreasing Dyck paths, such as their total number, the number of low and high valleys, low and high peaks, etc. Our methods include bijective proofs, recursive relations, and the symbolic method for generating functions.     

Identities involving Narayana polynomials and Catalan numbers

We first establish the result that the Narayana polynomials can be represented as the integrals of the Legendre polynomials. Then we represent the Catalan numbers in terms of the Narayana polynomials by three different identities. We give three different proofs for these identities, namely, two algebraic proofs and one combinatorial proof. Some applications are also given which lead to many known and new identities.     

Enumerating several aspects of non-decreasing Dyck paths

A Dyck path is non-decreasing if the $y$-coordinates of its valleys form a non-decreasing sequence. In this paper we give enumerative results and some statistics of several aspects of non-decreasing Dyck paths. We give the number of pyramids at a fixed level that the paths of a given length have, count the number of primitive paths, count how many of the non-primitive paths can be expressed as a product of primitive paths, and count the number of paths of a given height and a given length. We present and prove our results using combinatorial arguments, generating functions (using the symbolic method) and parameterize the results studied here using the Riordan arrays. We use known bijections to connect direct column-convex polyominoes, Elena trees, and non-decreasing Dyck paths.     

Raney and Catalan

Raney’s lemma is often used in a counting argument to prove the formula for (generalized) Catalan numbers. It ensures the existence of “good” cyclic shifts of certain sequences, i.e. cyclic shifts for which all partial sums are positive.We introduce a simple algorithm that finds these cyclic shifts and also those with a slightly weaker property. Moreover it provides simple proofs of lemma’s of Raney type.A similar clustering procedure is also used in a simple proof of a theorem on probabilities of which many well-known results (e.g. on lattice paths and on generalized Catalan numbers) can be derived as corollaries. The theorem generalizes generalized Catalan numbers. In the end it turns out to be equivalent to a formula of Raney.