Congruence properties of \(q\)-analogs (Q1199768)

The author first proves several congruences modulo the \(d\)th cyclotomic polynomial \(\Phi_ d\) for the Gaussian polynomials and the \(q\)-Stirling numbers of the first and second kinds. Typical of these congruences is the first which states that for \(n \geq d\), \[ \left[ n \atop k \right] \equiv \left[ {n-d} \atop {k-d} \right] + \left[ {n-d} \atop k \right] \pmod{\Phi_ d}. \] He then proves periodicity results for these polynomials. Typical of these is the theorem that states that for prime \(p\) and fixed \(k\), the sequence of \(\left[ n \atop k \right]\), \(n \geq 0\), taken modulo \(p\) and \(\Phi_ p\), has minimum period \(p^ m\) where \(m\) is the least integer such that \(p^ m > k\).