On the number of even parts in all partitions of \(n\) into distinct parts (Q2307690)

Let \(a(n)\) denote the number of even parts in all partitions of \(n\) into distinct parts. In the paper under review, the authors connect \(a(n)\) with two other functions. First, \(b(n)\) denotes the excess of the number of partitions of \(n\) into an odd number of parts in which the set of even parts has only one element over the number of partitions of \(n\) under the same restrictions except that the number of parts is even. Also, \(c(n)\) denotes the excess of the number of partitions of \(n\) in which exactly one part is repeated and this part is odd over the number of partitions of \(n\) under the same restrictions except that the only repeated part is even. Then, by utilizing generating functions, the authors prove that \[a(n)=(-1)^nb(n)=c(n).\] The authors also show that \(a(n)\) satisfies recurrence relations that are similar to those involving the partition function \(p(n)\). For example, \begin{align*} a(n) &= a(n - 1) + a(n - 2) - a(n - 5) - a(n - 7)\\ &\quad + a(n - 12) + a(n - 15) - a(n - 22) - a(n - 26) + \cdots. \end{align*} Finally, the authors propose three nonnegativity conjectures concerning \(a(n)\). These conjectures were analogous to linear homogeneous inequalities involving \(p(n)\).