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Generating Functions

Generating functions provide a mapping between sequences of numbers and functions that allows techniques for manipulating functions to be applied to sequences. Basic operations on generating functions like scaling, addition, shifting, differentiation and multiplication correspond to operations on the associated sequences. The coefficients of terms in a generating function represent the counts of ways to select items into subsets, allowing generating functions to solve counting problems.

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19 views27 pages

Generating Functions

Generating functions provide a mapping between sequences of numbers and functions that allows techniques for manipulating functions to be applied to sequences. Basic operations on generating functions like scaling, addition, shifting, differentiation and multiplication correspond to operations on the associated sequences. The coefficients of terms in a generating function represent the counts of ways to select items into subsets, allowing generating functions to solve counting problems.

Uploaded by

clb68296
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1.

Generating functions for basic sequences


2. Operations on generating functions
3. Counting
Generating Functions

a sequence of numbers a function

a polynomial

Through this mapping, we can apply our techniques for manipulating functions.

1. Generating functions for basic sequences


2. Operations on generating functions
3. Counting
4. Solve recurrences
Ordinary Generating Functions

Given a sequence <g0,g1,g2,g3,………>

the ordinary generating function is:

We use a double sided arrow to indicate the correspondence.


Simple Examples

The pattern here is simple:


the i-th term in the sequence (indexing from 0) is
the coefficient of xi in the generating function.

What is the generating function for <1,1,1,1,1,1,1,………………………>?


Geometric Series

Gn ::= 1+ x + x2 + 
…… + xn-1 + xn + ……

What is the closed form expression of Gn?

Gn ::= 1 + x + x2 + 
…… + xn-1 + xn + ……

xGn = x + x + x +  +x + x
2 3 ……
n n+1
+ ……

GnxGn= 1

1-x n+1
Gn =
1-x
More Examples

These are all closed form generating functions.


1. Generating functions for basic sequences
2. Operations on generating functions
3. Counting
Operations on Generating Functions

manipulations on sequences manipulations on functions

There are a few basic operations we’ll learn.

1. Scaling
2. Addition
3. Right shift
4. Differentiation
5. Product

We can use these operations to get new sequences from known sequences,

and new generating functions from known generating functions.


Scaling

Multiplying a generating function by a constant


=> scales every term in the associated sequence by the same constant.

Multiply the generating function by 2 gives

which generates the sequence:


Addition

Adding generating functions corresponds to adding sequences term by term.

The same result as in the previous slide.


Right Shift

How to generate the sequence <0, 0, …, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1…>?

k zeros

k zeros

Adding k zeros  multiplying xk on the generating function.


Differentiation

How to generate the sequence <1, 2, 3, 4, 5, …>?

The generating function is

How to obtain a closed form of this function?

We found a generating function for the sequence <1,2,3,…> of positive integers!


More Differentiation

How to generate the sequence <1, 4, 9, 16, 25, …>?

Nice idea. But not what we want.


More Differentiation

How to generate the sequence <1, 4, 9, 16, 25, …>?


Product

What is the sequence corresponds to the polynomial C(x) = A(x)B(x)?


1. Generating functions for basic sequences
2. Operations on generating functions
3. Counting
Counting with Generating Functions

General strategy:

coefficient of xn = number of ways to choose n items.

A simple example:

the coefficient of xn in (1 + x)k is the number of ways


to choose n distinct items from a set of size k.
Convolution Rule

Let A(x) be the generating function for selecting items from set A.
Let B(x) be the generating function for selecting items from set B.
If A and B are disjoint,
then the generating function for selecting items from the union A U B
is the product A(x) · B(x).
Choosing Subsets

Choose n items from k distinct elements {a1, a2, …, ak}

How many ways to choose from single element set {a1}?

There is one way to choose 0 item, one way to choose 1 element.

So the generating function for {a1} is (1+x)

So the generating function for {a2} is (1+x)


……………

By convolution rule, the generating function for


choosing items in a k-element set {a1,a2,…,ak} is:
Choosing Doughnuts

How many ways can we select n doughnuts with k varieties?

Suppose there is only chocolate doughnuts.


How many ways can we select n doughnuts?

Well there is only one way to choose zero, one, two, three, ……, chocolate doughnuts.

So the generating function for choosing chocolate doughnuts is:

The generating function for choosing doughnuts with k varieties is:

By convolution rule:
Choosing Doughnuts

The generating function for choosing doughnuts with k varieties is:

By convolution rule:

Now what? How do we obtain the answer?

Taylor’s Theorem

where f(n)(x) is the n-th derivative of f(x).


Taylor’s Theorem
Choosing Doughnuts

The generating function for choosing doughnuts with k varieties is:

……
Choosing Doughnuts

The generating function for choosing doughnuts with k varieties is:

The number of ways to choose n doughnuts with k varieties is:

This is what we get before. Now there is a general method to derive it.
Choosing Fruits

How many ways can we fill a bag with n fruits with the following constraints?

• The number of apples must be even.


• The number of bananas must be a multiple of 5.
• There can be at most four oranges.
• There can be at most one pear.

For example, there are 7 ways to form a bag with 6 fruits


Choosing Fruits
• The number of apples must be even.
• The number of bananas must be a multiple of 5.
• There can be at most four oranges.
• There can be at most one pear.

GF for apples:

GF for bananas:

GF for oranges:

GF for pears: By convolution rule

GF for fruits:
Choosing Fruits

Generating function for fruits:

How many ways can we fill a bag with n fruits with the following constraints?

The answer is exactly n+1!

We solve an impossible counting problem in a routine way…

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