Asymptotics of the coefficients of some generating functions (Q6955668)

The authors study the generating function \(H_{n,a}(z)=(a+z+az^{2})^{n}\) and derive, for \(a>0\) and \(n\to\infty\), asymptotic expansions (with two correction terms and \(O(n^{-3})\) remainder) for the coefficients of \(z^{n}\) and \(z^{\,n-1}\). Their approach uses a Cauchy integral representation together with estimates for integrals of \(\cos^{2n}u\) and standard double-factorial/Stirling expansions, yielding convenient closed forms for these two central coefficients. By a simple rescaling, the formulas also apply to the coefficients at \(z^{n\pm1}\) and \(z^{n}\) of \((a+bz+cz^{2})^{n}\) for \(b,c>0\). As applications, the paper gives asymptotics for the size of the central layer in certain ranked posets and improves lower bounds on the number of antichains via the method of boundary functionals, with illustrative examples.