Partitions and the maximal excludant (Q2040012)

Summary: For each nonempty integer partition \(\pi\), we define the maximal excludant of \(\pi\) as the largest nonnegative integer smaller than the largest part of \(\pi\) that is not itself a part. Let \(\sigma\!\operatorname{maex}(n)\) be the sum of maximal excludants over all partitions of \(n\). We show that the generating function of \(\sigma\!\operatorname{maex}(n)\) is closely related to a mock theta function studied by \textit{G. E. Andrews} et al. [Invent. Math. 91, No. 3, 391--407 (1988; Zbl 0642.10012)], and \textit{H. Cohen} [Invent. Math. 91, No. 3, 409--422 (1988; Zbl 0642.10013)], respectively. Further, we show that, as \(n\to \infty\), \(\sigma\!\operatorname{maex}(n)\) is asymptotic to the sum of largest parts over all partitions of \(n\). Finally, the expectation of the difference of the largest part and the maximal excludant over all partitions of \(n\) is shown to converge to 1 as \(n\to \infty\).