No label defined (Q3972288)

[For the entire collection see Zbl 0704.00015.] Let \(G\) be a finite group with a split \((B,N)\) pair. Let \(W\) be the Weyl group and let \(I\) be a set of Coxeter generators for \(W\). If \(J\subseteq I\) let \(W_ J\) be the corresponding parabolic subgroup of \(W\) and let \(P_ J =BW_ JB\) be the corresponding parabolic subgroup of \(G\). Let \(k(P_ J)\) (resp. \(k(W_ J)\)) denote the number of conjugacy classes of \(P_ J\) (resp. of \(W_ J\)). \textit{R. Knörr} and \textit{G. R. Robinson} [J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 39, 48-60 (1989; Zbl 0672.20005)] have shown that there is a remarkable formula for the alternating sum over parabolic subgroups \(P_ J\) of the numbers \(k(P_ J)\). In this paper, the analogue of the alternating sum over \(P_ J\) of the numbers \(k(P_ J)\) in which \(P_ J\) is replaced by \(W_ J\) and \(k(P_ J)\) is replaced by \(k(W_ J)\) is given for finite Coxeter groups \(W\).