The Graham-Knuth-Patashnik recurrence: symmetries and continued fractions (Q831347)

Summary: We study the triangular array defined by the Graham-Knuth-Patashnik recurrence \[T(n,k) = (\alpha n + \beta k + \gamma)\, T(n-1,k)+(\alpha^\prime n + \beta^\prime k + \gamma^\prime) \, T(n-1,k-1)\] with initial condition \(T(0,k) = \delta_{k0}\) and parameters \(\mu = (\alpha,\beta,\gamma, \alpha^\prime,\beta^\prime,\gamma^\prime)\). We show that the family of arrays \(T(\mu)\) is invariant under a 48-element discrete group isomorphic to \(S_3 \times D_4\). Our main result is to determine all parameter sets \(\mu \in \mathbb{C}^6\) for which the ordinary generating function \(f(x,t) = \sum_{n,k=0}^\infty T(n,k) \, x^k t^n\) is given by a Stieltjes-type continued fraction in \(t\) with coefficients that are polynomials in \(x\). We also exhibit some special cases in which \(f(x,t)\) is given by a Thron-type or Jacobi-type continued fraction in \(t\) with coefficients that are polynomials in \(x\).