Homework 1
Combinatorics, 2020 Fall, USTC
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Let n , r n,r n,r be positive integers and n ≥ r n\ge r n≥r. Give a combinatorial proof of ( r r ) + ( r + 1 r ) + . . . + ( n r ) = ( n + 1 r + 1 ) . \binom{r}{r}+ \binom{r+1}{r}+...+\binom{n}{r}=\binom{n+1}{r+1}. (rr)+(rr+1)+...+(rn)=(r+1n+1).
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Let n n n be a positive integer.
Prove that the identity x n = ∑ k = 1 n S ( n , k ) ( x ) k x^n=\sum_{k=1}^n S(n,k)(x)_k xn=k=1∑nS(n,k)(x)k holds for every real number x x x, where S ( n , k ) S(n,k) S(n,k) is the Strirling number of the second kind, and ( x ) k : = x ( x − 1 ) . . . ( x − k + 1 ) (x)_k:=x(x-1)...(x-k+1) (x)k:=x(x−1)...(x−k+1) denotes a polynomial of degree k k k with variable x x x.
Hint: first prove the case when x x x is a positive integer by double-counting certain mappings. -
Let n , r n, r n,r be integers satisfying 0 ≤ r ≤ 2 n 0\le r\le 2n 0≤r≤2n. Find the value of ∑ i = 0 n ( − 1 ) i ( n i ) ( n r − i ) \sum_{i=0}^n (-1)^i\binom{n}{i}\binom{n}{r-i} ∑i=0n(−1)i(in)(r−in).
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For any integer n ≥ 2 n\ge 2 n≥2, let π ( n ) \pi(n) π(n) be the number of primes in { 1 , 2 , . . . , n } \{1,2,...,n\} {1,2,...,n}.
- Prove that the product of all primes p p p satisfying m < p ≤ 2 m m<p\le 2m m<p≤2m is at most ( 2 m m ) \binom{2m}{m} (m2m), where m ≥ 1 m\ge 1 m≥1 is any integer.
- Use (a) to prove that π ( n ) ≤ C n log n \pi(n)\le \frac{Cn}{\log n} π(n)≤lognCn for some absolute constant C C C. (Hint: by induction and use the estimation on ( 2 m m ) \binom{2m}{m} (m2m))
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How many ways are there to seat n n n couples at a round table with 2 n 2n 2n chairs in such a way that none of the couples sit next to each other?
If one seating plan can be obtained from other plan by a rotation, then we will view them as one plan. -
Prove the following statements.
- If p p p is odd, then ∣ A 1 ∪ A 2 ∪ . . . ∪ A n ∣ ≤ ∑ k = 1 p ( − 1 ) k + 1 S k |A_1\cup A_2\cup...\cup A_n|\le \sum_{k=1}^p (-1)^{k+1} S_k ∣A1∪A2∪...∪An∣≤∑k=1p(−1)k+1Sk;
- If p p p is even, then ∣ A 1 ∪ A 2 ∪ . . . ∪ A n ∣ ≥ ∑ k = 1 p ( − 1 ) k + 1 S k . |A_1\cup A_2\cup...\cup A_n|\ge \sum_{k=1}^p (-1)^{k+1} S_k. ∣A1∪A2∪...∪An∣≥∑k=1p(−1)k+1Sk.
Here, S k S_k Sk is the sum of the sizes of all k k k-fold intersections as defined in class.