On sums of binomial coefficients and their applications

Zhi-Wei Sun

Published 2004-04-21, updated 2008-07-14Version 3

In this paper we study recurrences concerning the combinatorial sum $[n,r]_m=\sum_{k\equiv r (mod m)}\binom {n}{k}$ and the alternate sum $\sum_{k\equiv r (mod m)}(-1)^{(k-r)/m}\binom{n}{k}$, where m>0, $n\ge 0$ and r are integers. For example, we show that if $n\ge m-1$ then $$\sum_{i=0}^{\lfloor(m-1)/2\rfloor}(-1)^i\binom{m-1-i}i [n-2i,r-i]_m=2^{n-m+1}.$$ We also apply such results to investigate Bernoulli and Euler polynomials. Our approach depends heavily on an identity established by the author [Integers 2(2002)].