Generating functions (Expansion)

65 Views Asked by At

Problem: Give an interpretation in partition terms for the coefficient $x^{12}$ in the expansion $(1+x^2+x^4+x^6+x^8+x^{10}+x^{12})(1+x^4+x^8+x^{12})(1+x^6+x^{12})(1+x^8)(1+x^{10})(1+x^{12})$

I'm not sure if I have to find a generating function or only determine when $x^{12}$ appears or only try to describe his behavior.

Thanks for your help.

2

There are 2 best solutions below

0
On BEST ANSWER

It's the same as the coefficient of $x^{12}$ in the product $$\eqalign{ &(1+x^2+x^4+\cdots)(1+x^4+x^8+\cdots)(1+x^6+x^{12}+\cdots)\cr &\quad{}\times(1+x^8+x^{16}+\cdots)(1+x^{10}+x^{20}+\cdots)\cr &\quad{}\times(1+x^{12}+x^{24}+\cdots)(1+x^{14}+x^{28}+\cdots)\cdots\ ,\cr}$$ because the extra terms I have included cannot possibly be part of any product giving $x^{12}$. This in turn can be written as $$(1+x^2+x^{2+2}+\cdots)(1+x^4+x^{4+4}+\cdots)(1+x^6+x^{6+6}+\cdots)\cdots\ ,$$ and the coefficient of $x^{12}$ will be the number of ways you can write $12$ as the sum of zero or more $2$s, zero or more $4$s and so on. In other words, it is

the number of partitions of $12$ into even summands.

0
On

That's the same as the coefficient of $x^6$ in $$(1+x+x^2+x^3+x^4+x^5+x^6)(1+x^2+x^4+x^6)(1+x^3+x^6)(1+x^4)(1+x^5)(1+x^6)$$ which is the same as the coefficient of $x^6$ in $$(1+x+x^2+\cdots)(1+x^2+x^4+ \cdots)(1+x^3+x^6+\cdots)\cdots= \prod_{n=1}^\infty\frac1{1-x^n}$$ which must be the number of partitions of some or other number....