Schmidt-type theorems via weighted partition identities (Q6098234): Difference between revisions

A 1999 theorem of Schmidt states that the number of partitions into distinct parts such that the odd indexed parts sum to \(n\), is equal to the number of partitions of \(n\). In general, a partition theorem has been referred to as a Schmidt-type theorem if the restriction on one of the two kinds of partitions is to fix the partial sum of parts (typically a summation over parts with their indices in an arithmetic progression) instead of the total sum of parts. This line of research was recently rejuvenated by \textit{G. E. Andrews} and \textit{P. Paule}'s latest addition [J. Number Theory 234, 95--119 (2022; Zbl 1484.11201)] to their celebrated series of papers under the title ``MacMahon's partition analysis''. The current paper focuses on weighted partition, i.e., each qualified partition contributes a certain explicitly chosen weight to the total count, and it demonstrates the usefulness of deploying weighted partition as a transitional (at the same time crucial) object in the course of establishing various Schimidt-type theorems combinatorially. More precisely, in section 2 the original Schmidt's theorem is shown to be equivalent to a weighted partition theorem due to the author [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 349, No. 12, 5001--5019 (1997; Zbl 0893.11042)]. Then in sections 3 and 4, two Schmidt-type theorems of \textit{G. E. Andrews} and \textit{P. Paule} [J. Number Theory 234, 95--119 (2022; Zbl 1484.11201)] are re-proved respectively using weighted partitions. What follows in section 5 is a new Schmidt-type result established by the same weighted partitions approach. It is worth noting that the associated generating function was mentioned by Ramanujan in his famous ``last letter to Hardy'' and was also discussed by \textit{G. N. Watson} [J. Lond. Math. Soc. 11, 55--80 (1936; Zbl 0013.11502)]. All these interesting historical account can be found in section 5 as well. The paper ends with some comments on two related works by \textit{D. Bowman} [Acta Arith. 74, No. 2, 97--105 (1996; Zbl 0861.11058)] and \textit{D. Eichhorn} [J. Number Theory 90, No. 1, 62--73 (2001; Zbl 0997.11084)].