Theorems and Conjectures on Some Rational Generating Functions

Richard P. Stanley

Published 2021-01-06Version 1

Let $I_n(x)=\prod_{i=1}^n \left( 1+x^{F_{i+1}}\right)$, where $F_{i+1}$ denotes a Fibonacci number. Let $v_r(n)$ denote the sum of the $r$th powers of the coefficients of $I_n(x)$. Our prototypical result is that $\sum_{n\geq 0} v_2(n)x^n= (1-2x^2)/(1-2x-2x^2+2x^3)$. We give many related results and conjectures. A certain infinite poset $\mathfrak{F}$ is naturally associated with $I_n(x)$. We discuss some combinatorial properties of $\mathfrak{F}$ and a natural generalization, including a symmetric function that encodes the flag $h$-vector of $\mathfrak{F}$.