Lecture hall partitions (Q1127631)

A lecture hall partition of length \(n\) is a member of the set of partitions \(( \lambda_1, \dots, \lambda_n)\) where \(0\leq \lambda_1/1\leq \cdots \leq\lambda_n/n\); these partitions describe ways of designing a lecture hall with space for up to \(n\) rows of seats placed on integer heights. The authors show that the number of lecture hall partitions of length \(n\) of \(N\) equals the number of partitions of \(N\) into small odd parts, 1, \(3, \dots, 2n-1\), thus providing a ``finite'' generalization of Euler's classic theorem on partitions into odd parts and into distinct parts. One proof involves Bott's formula for the Poincaré series of the affine Coxeter group, the other is a direct proof.