On the Positive Moments of Ranks of Partitions

Abstract

By introducing $k$-marked Durfee symbols, Andrews found a combinatorial interpretation of the $2k$-th symmetrized moment $\eta_{2k}(n)$ of ranks of partitions of $n$ in terms of $(k+1)$-marked Durfee symbols of $n$. In this paper, we consider the $k$-th symmetrized positive moment $\bar{\eta}_k(n)$ of ranks of partitions of $n$ which is defined as the truncated sum over positive ranks of partitions of $n$. As combinatorial interpretations of $\bar{\eta}_{2k}(n)$ and $\bar{\eta}_{2k-1}(n)$, we show that for given $k$ and $i$ with $1\leq i\leq k+1$, $\bar{\eta}_{2k-1}(n)$ equals the number of $(k+1)$-marked Durfee symbols of $n$ with the $i$-th rank being zero and $\bar{\eta}_{2k}(n)$ equals the number of $(k+1)$-marked Durfee symbols of $n$ with the $i$-th rank being positive. The interpretations of $\bar{\eta}_{2k-1}(n)$ and $\bar{\eta}_{2k}(n)$ are independent of $i$, and they imply the interpretation of $\eta_{2k}(n)$ given by Andrews since $\eta_{2k}(n)$ equals $\bar{\eta}_{2k-1}(n)$ plus twice of $\bar{\eta}_{2k}(n)$. Moreover, we obtain the generating functions for $\bar{\eta}_{2k}(n)$ and $\bar{\eta}_{2k-1}(n)$.