Catalan Numbers with Applications

Abstract

Fibonacci and Lucas sequences are “two shining stars in the vast array of integer sequences,” and because of their ubiquitousness, tendency to appear in quite unexpected and unrelated places, abundant applications, and intriguing properties, they have fascinated amateurs and mathematicians alike. However, Catalan numbers are even more fascinating. Like the North Star in the evening sky, they are a beautiful and bright light in the mathematical heavens. They continue to provide a fertile ground for number theorists, especially, Catalan enthusiasts and computer scientists. Since the publication of Euler's triangulation problem (1751) and Catalan's parenthesization problem (1838), over 400 articles and problems on Catalan numbers have appeared in various periodicals. As Martin Gardner noted, even though many amateurs and mathematicians may know the abc's of Catalan sequence, they may not be familiar with their myriad unexpected occurrences, delightful applications, properties, or the beautiful and surprising relationships among numerous examples. Like Fibonacci and Lucas numbers, Catalan numbers are also an excellent source of fun and excitement. They can be used to generate interesting dividends for students, such as intellectual curiosity, experimentation, pattern recognition, conjecturing, and problem-solving techniques. The central character in the nth Catalan number is the central binomial coefficient. So, Catalan numbers can be extracted from Pascal's triangle. In fact, there are a number of ways they can be read from Pascal's triangle; every one of them is described and exemplified. This brings Catalan numbers a step closer to number-theory enthusiasts, especially.