Motzkin numbers (Q5906304)

This paper investigates various properties of the Motzkin numbers, \(M_n\). First the author observes that \(M_n\) counts certain \(2 \times n\) arrays of 0's and 1's. In this combinatorial setting the connection to the Chebyshev polynomials is redeveloped; indeed, the main tool for the applications which follow is the Motzkin polynomial \(S_{n}(x)= U_{n}(\frac{x-1}{2})\). The first application computes the determinants of the Henkel matrices \(\widetilde A_n\) and \(\widetilde B_n\), where \((\widetilde A_n)_{ij} = M_{i+j}\) for \(0 \leq i,j \leq n\) and \(\widetilde B_n\) is its \((n,0)\)-minor. In the second application the author shows that the sequence of Motzkin numbers is log concave with \(\lim {M_{n+1} \over M_n} = 3\). Two ballot number sequences for the Motzkin numbers, analogous to that for the Catalan numbers, are defined and interpreted as counting certain noncrossing set partitions. As a further application, the author uses the second ballot number sequence to obtain an alternate proof of a result of \textit{D. Gouyou-Beauchamps} and \textit{G. Viennot} [Adv. Appl. Math. 9, No. 3, 334-357 (1988; Zbl 0727.05036)] concerning directed animals.