Rotundus: triangulations, Chebyshev polynomials, and Pfaffians (Q1622641)

The continuant is defined by \[ K_n(a_1,a_2,\dots,a_n) =\det \begin{pmatrix} a_1&1\\ 1&a_2&1\\ &\ddots&\ddots&\ddots\\ &&1&a_{n-1}&1\\ &&&1&a_n\\ \end{pmatrix}. \] This note opens by briefly reviewing connections of the continuant with continued fractions, difference equations, frieze patterns and the Catalan numbers. The authors then point out that the continuant is not invariant under cyclic permutation of its arguments. To correct for this flaw they propose a new polynomial they call the rotundus and define by \[ R_n(a_1,\dots,a_n)=K_n(a_1,\dots,a_n)-K_{n-2}(a_2,\dots,a_{n-1}). \] They offer several different approaches to see that \(R_n\) has cyclic symmetry, including by writing \(R_n\) as a Pfaffian. Their second theorem exhibits a correspondence between totally positive solutions of the Diophantine equation \(R_n(a_1,\dots,a_n)=0\) and centrally symmetric triangulations of a regular \(2n\)-gon. This theorem is the analogue of a result by \textit{J. H. Conway} and \textit{H. S. M. Coxeter} [Math. Gaz. 57, 175--183 (1973; Zbl 0288.05021)] for continuants. They close by discussing a connection between Chebyshev polynomials and the rotundus. In particular, \(T_n(x/2)=R_n(x,\dots,x)/2\) where \(T_n\) is the Chebyshev polynomial of the first kind.