Math 2.0

Combinatorics Proposition

Covering relation in the poset of partitions of an integer

Builds on Integer partitionCovering relation

Statement

Let tt be a positive integer. Let 𝒫(t)\mathcal{P}(t) be the poset of partitions of tt under the dominance order. A partition is written as the list of its parts.

Let V=(v1,…,vm)V=(v_1,\dots,v_m) and W=(w1,…,wn)W=(w_1,\dots,w_n) be partitions of tt, and suppose VV covers WW in 𝒫(t)\mathcal{P}(t).

Then n≤m+1n\le m+1, and there are integers i<ji<j with 1≤i<j≤n1\le i<j\le n such that all of the following hold.

  1. vα=wαv_\alpha=w_\alpha for every α<i\alpha<i.
  2. vβ=wβv_\beta=w_\beta for every β\beta with j<β≤mj<\beta\le m.
  3. vi=wi+1v_i=w_i+1.
  4. One of two cases occurs. Either j≤mj\le m and wj=vj+1w_j=v_j+1, or j=n=m+1j=n=m+1 and wj=1w_j=1.
  5. If j>i+1j>i+1, then vγ=wγ=vi−1v_\gamma=w_\gamma=v_i-1 for every γ\gamma with i<γ<ji<\gamma<j.

Remarks

In words, a cover moves one unit from an earlier part to a later part. The parts strictly between the two changed positions all equal vi−1v_i-1. In case (b) of item 4, the unit goes into a new last part of size 11, so WW has one more part than VV.

Reading path

To understand this page from the ground up, read these 18 pages in order. The foundations come first.

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Each page uses the pages above it. The colour of the bar on a box shows how strong the evidence is, and the box also gives it as text. The list has the same pages.
  • no evidence level
  1. Element definition
  2. Integer partition definition
  3. Proposition concept
  4. Set definition
  5. Implication definition
  6. Predicate definition
  7. Ordered pair definition
  8. Universal quantifier definition
  9. Cartesian product definition
  10. Subset definition
  11. Binary relation definition
  12. Antisymmetric relation definition
  13. Reflexive relation definition
  14. Transitive relation definition
  15. Preorder definition
  16. Partial order definition
  17. Covering relation definition
  18. Covering relation in the poset of partitions of an integer statement

Further reading

  1. Web https://github.com/mitchkeller/applied-combinatorics/blob/ebd95d6bd59e23c633c65cf560bcb93efa912aae/source/s_kitchensink_zero-one-matrices.ptx#L28, source/s_kitchensink_zero-one-matrices.ptx:28
About this page
TagQ0SMYSS9GQ
URIm2://Q0SMYSS9GQ
Kindstatement, proposition
WritingW1 stated
MSC05A17, 06A07
StatusThis copy of the site has no build data. Run m2 status Q0SMYSS9GQ.
UsesInteger partition, Covering relation
Changed4 November 2026

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