1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910300257203321

Autore

Roman Steven

Titolo

An Introduction to Catalan Numbers / / by Steven Roman

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Cham : , : Springer International Publishing : , : Imprint : Birkhäuser, , 2015

ISBN

3-319-22144-2

Edizione

[1st ed. 2015.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (XII, 121 p. 44 illus.)

Collana

Compact Textbooks in Mathematics, , 2296-455X

Disciplina

511.6

Soggetti

Discrete mathematics

Graph theory

Sequences (Mathematics)

Computer science - Mathematics

Discrete Mathematics

Graph Theory

Sequences, Series, Summability

Mathematical Applications in Computer Science

Discrete Mathematics in Computer Science

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Includes index.

Nota di contenuto

Introduction -- Dyck Words -- The Catalan Numbers -- Catalan Numbers and Paths -- Catalan Numbers and Trees -- Catalan Numbers and Geometric Widgits -- Catalan Numbers and Algebraic Widgits -- Catalan Numbers and Interval Structures -- Catalan Numbers and Partitions -- Catalan Numbers and Permutations -- Catalan Numbers and Semiorders -- Exercises -- Solutions and Hints -- Appendix A: A Brief Introduction to Partially Ordered Sets -- Appendix B: A Brief Introduction to Graphs and Trees -- Index.

Sommario/riassunto

This textbook provides an introduction to the Catalan numbers and their remarkable properties, along with their various applications in combinatorics.  Intended to be accessible to students new to the subject, the book begins with more elementary topics before progressing to more mathematically sophisticated topics.  Each chapter focuses on a specific combinatorial object counted by these numbers,



including paths, trees, tilings of a staircase, null sums in Zn+1, interval structures, partitions, permutations, semiorders, and more.  Exercises are included at the end of book, along with hints and solutions, to help students obtain a better grasp of the material.  The text is ideal for undergraduate students studying combinatorics, but will also appeal to anyone with a mathematical background who has an interest in learning about the Catalan numbers. “Roman does an admirable job of providing an introduction to Catalan numbers of a different nature from the previous ones.  He has made an excellent choice of topics in order to convey the flavor of Catalan combinatorics.  [Readers] will acquire a good feeling for why so many mathematicians are enthralled by the remarkable ubiquity and elegance of Catalan numbers.”  - From the foreword by Richard Stanley.