q-Abel polynomials (Q4483708)

Two types of Fibonacci polynomials are studied. The abstract Fibonacci polynomials \(F_n(a,b)\) are sums of words in the alphabet consisting of the letters \(a\) and \(b\) defined by the recurrence \[ F_n(a,b)=a F_{n-1}(a,b)+b F_{n-2}(a,b), \] with \(F_0(a,b)=1\) and \(F_1(a,b)=\varepsilon\); \(\varepsilon\) being the empty word. \(F_n(a,b)\) is shown to be given by the sum of words of `length' \(n-1\), where the length of the letter \(a\) is \(1\) and the length of the letter \(b\) is \(2\). In other words, \[ F_n(a,b)=\sum_{k=0}^{\lfloor (n-1)/2\rfloor} C_k^{n-k-1}(a,b), \] where \(C_k^n(a,b)\) is the sum of all the words with \(k\) letters \(b\) and \(n-k\) letters \(a\). For example, \(F_5(a,b)=(a^4)+(a^2b+aba+ba^2)+(b^2)\). The \(q\)-Fibonacci polynomials \(F_n(x,s,q)\) for real \(x\) and \(s\) and (real) indeterminate \(q\) are defined by the recursion \[ F_n(x,s,q)=x F_{n-1}(x,s,q)+t(q^{n-2}s) F_{n-2}(x,s,q), \] where \(F_0(x,s,q)=0\), \(F_1(x,s,q)=1\) and \(t\) is some unspecified function. The main result for the \(q\)-Fibonacci polynomials is the \(q\)-Euler-Cassini formula \[ F_{n-1}(x,qs,q)F_{n+k}(x,s,q)- F_n(x,s,q)F_{n+k-1}(x,qs,q)=(-1)^n t(qs)\dots t(q^{n-1}s) F_k(x,q^ns,q). \] For \(t(s)=s\) this is originally due to \textit{G. E. Andrews, A. Knopfmacher} and \textit{P. Paule} [Adv. Appl. Math. 25, 2-11 (2000; Zbl 0972.11068)]. Next, a homomorphism \(\Phi\) is constructed that connects the abstract Fibonacci polynomials and the \(q\)-Fibonacci polynomials. Finally some special cases of the \(q\)-Fibonacci polynomials are considered. Notably \(t(s)=s/q\), a case first studied by \textit{L. Carlitz} [Fibonacci Q. 13, 97-102 (1975; Zbl 0298.10010)], and \(t(s)=4qs/((1+s)(1+qs))\). For both cases explicit expressions for the \(q\)-Fibonacci polynomials are found.