On a divisor of the central binomial coefficient

DOI10.1007/S11139-021-00429-4MaRDI QIDQ2127839zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Matthew Just, Maxwell Schneider

Publication date 21 April 2022

Published in The Ramanujan Journal (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/2102.00944

zbMATH Keywords

binomial coefficientsCatalan numberslattice paths

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Binomial coefficients; factorials; (q)-identities (11B65)

Abstract: It is well known that for all $ngeq1$ the number $n+1$ is a divisor of the central binomial coefficient $2nchoosen$. Since the $n$th central binomial coefficient equals the number of lattice paths from $(0,0)$ to $(n,n)$ by unit steps north or east, a natural question is whether there is a way to partition these paths into sets of $n+1$ paths or $n+1$ equinumerous sets of paths. The Chung-Feller theorem gives an elegant answer to this question. We pose and deliver an answer to the analogous question for $2n-1$, another divisor of $2nchoosen$. We then show our main result follows from a more general observation regarding binomial coefficients $nchoosek$ with $n$ and $k$ relatively prime. A discussion of the case where $n$ and $k$ are not relatively prime is also given, highlighting the limitations of our methods. Finally, we come full circle and give a novel interpretation of the Catalan numbers.

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Cites work

• An Tu Ming, the first discoverer of the Catalan numbers
• Central binomial coefficients divisible by or coprime to their indices
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Cited in

(6)

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• Note on a Binomial Coefficient Divisor
• Three classes of combinatorial sums involving central binomial coefficients and harmonic numbers

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