A formula for the partition function that ``counts'' (Q295286)

The Durfee square of a partition is the largest square contained within its Ferrers diagram, and the number of dots in the side of this square is the order of the Durfee square. In the paper under review, the authors derive the combinatorial expression for the number \(D(n,k)\) of partitions of \(n\) with Durfee square of order \(k\): \[ D(n,k)=\sum_{m_k=0}^{U_k}\sum_{m_{k-1}=0}^{U_{k-1}}\cdots\sum_{m_2=0}^{U_2}\left(1+n-k^2-\sum_{h=2}^{k}hm_h\right)\prod_{i=2}^k(m_i+1), \] where \[ U_j=\left\lfloor\frac{n-k^2-\sum_{h=j+1}^khm_h}{j}\right\rfloor, \] for \(j=2,3,\ldots,k.\) This leads to a combinatorial formula for the number of partitions of \(n\). Several aspects of \(D(n,k)\) are also analysed, such as the determination of the leading coefficients of the generating function of \(D(n,k)\), representations of \(D(n,k)\) as the sum of quasipolynomials, and polynomial approximations for \(D(n,k)\).