On the generalized climbing stairs problem.

MaRDI QIDQ3462406zbMATH OpenFDO

Authors Edray Herber Goins, Talitha M. Washington

Publication date 14 January 2016

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/0909.5459

zbMATH Keywords

generating functionpartitionsequencestairs

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Exact enumeration problems, generating functions (05A15) Combinatorial aspects of partitions of integers (05A17)

Abstract: Let $mathcalS$ be a subset of the positive integers, and $M$ be a positive integer. Mohammad K. Azarian, inspired by work of Tony Colledge, considered the number of ways to climb a staircase containing $n$ stairs using "step-sizes" $sinmathcalS$ and multiplicities at most $M$. In this exposition, we find a solution via generating functions, i.e., an expression which counts the number of partitions $n=su{m}_{sinmathcalS}{m}_{s}s$ satisfying $0leq{m}_{s}leqM$. We then use this result to answer a series of questions posed by Azarian, thereby showing a link with ten sequences listed in the On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences. We conclude by posing open questions which seek to count the number of compositions of $n$.

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Cited in

(4)

• Counting staircases in integer compositions
• Foundations for analytical models of staircase traversal of convex polygonal surfaces
• Ben-Hur staircase climbs
• Enumerating anchored permutations with bounded gaps

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