Distributive lattices of small width. II: A problem from Stanley's 1986 text \textsl{Enumerative combinatorics} (Q1040828)

In this paper, the authors solve a problem that \textit{R. P. Stanley} posed in his classic text [Enumerative combinatorics. Volume I. Monterey, CA: Wadsworth \& Brooks/Cole Advanced Books \& Software (1986; Zbl 0608.05001)]. Stanley's problem is the following: Fix a natural number \(k\). Consider the posets \(P\) of cardinality \(n\) such that, for \(0 < i < n\), \(P\) has exactly \(k\) ordered ideals of cardinality \(i\). If \({f_k}(n)\) is the number of such posets, what is the generating function \(\sum {f_3}(n)x^n\)? In this paper, the authors investigate this problem, producing a system of recurrence relations that enumerate the isomorphism classes of these lattices. They also derive a generating function from this system of recurrences.