Short proofs of Saalschütz's and Dixon's theorems (Q802560): Difference between revisions

Short proofs are given of the identities: \[ \sum_{k\geq 0}\left( \begin{matrix} a\\ l-k\end{matrix} \right)\left( \begin{matrix} b\\ m-k\end{matrix} \right)\left( \begin{matrix} a+b+k\\ k\end{matrix} \right)=\left( \begin{matrix} a+m\\ l\end{matrix} \right)\left( \begin{matrix} b+l\\ m\end{matrix} \right), \] \[ \sum_{k\geq 0}(-1)^ k\left( \begin{matrix} n\\ k\end{matrix} \right)\left( \begin{matrix} m\\ l-n+k\end{matrix} \right)\left( \begin{matrix} l\\ l-m+k\end{matrix} \right)=\begin{cases} 0&\quad\text{ if \(l+m-n\) odd},\\ (-1)^{m-r}{n+r\choose n}{n\choose l-r} &\quad\text{ if \(l+m-n=2r\)}.\end{cases} \] The proofs depend upon the fact that, for any Laurent series \(f(x,y)\), the constant term of \(f(x/1+y\), \(y/1+x)\) equals that of \(1/(1-xyf(x,y))\).