We utilize exponential generating functions

Recall the problem of finding the number of permutations of the letters in the word MISSISSIPPI. The answer was . Let’s modify the question slightly. Find the number of permutations of 9 of the letters in the word MISSISSIPPI.

The answer is the sum of the number of permutations of each of the possible combinations of 9 of the letters.

In other words, we must first select 9 of the 11 letters, then we must count the number of permutations of these 9 letters. After doing this for every possible selection of 9 of the 11 letters, we sum these answers. There are 9 different combinations of 9 of the 11 letters:

SSISSIPPI, ISISSIPPI, ISSISSIPI, MSSSSIPPI, MSISSIPPI, MSSISSIPI, MIISSIPPI, MISISSIPI, and MISSISSII.

Thus the total number of ways to permute 9 of the 11 letters in the word MISSISSIPPI is

We would like to see this answer a coefficient in some generating function. For the letter M, consider the function . For the letter I, consider . For the letter S, consider , and for the letter P, consider . The product of these functions is Note that this function is a polynomial of degree . Since we are considering the permutations of 9 of the 11 letters in the word, let’s inspect the coefficient of . We notice that is almost matches the solution to our problem. It is Thus the answer to our problem can be considered the coefficient not of , but of . This discussion both motivates the following definition of exponential generating functions and verifies the proposition that follows.

(problem 1) Find the exponential generating function of the sequence where is is the number of permutations of of the elements in the given multiset.
a) (i.e. Permutations of the letters in MATHEMATICS)

b) (i.e. Permutations of the letters in COASTAL CAROLINA)


(problem 2) Let be the number of permutations of of the elements of the given multiset. Find the exponential generating function of the sequence .
a)

b)


(problem 3) Find a specific formula for from example 3 above.


(problem 4) Let be the number of ways to color the squares of a chess board using the colors red, white and blue with the indicated conditions. Find the exponential generating function for the sequence , and find an explicit formula for .
a) The number of blue squares must be odd.




b) There must be at least one blue square.





2024-09-27 14:05:26