The higher order difference $[ {\mathop \Delta \limits_a ^n ( x )_{m,b} } ]_{x = 0} $ of the generalized factorial $( x )_{m,b} = x( {x - b} )( {x - 2b} ) \cdots ( {x - mb + b} )$, where the difference operator $\mathop \Delta \limits_a $ is defined by $\mathop \Delta \limits_a f( x ) = f( {x + a} ) - f( x )$, is the subject of this paper. The numbers $p( {m,n;a,b} ) = ( {b^{ - m} / n!} )[ {\mathop \Delta \limits_a ^n ( x )_{m,b} } ]_{x = 0} $ used by Jordan [12, p. 221;1960] appeared to be the same as the numbers $C( {m,n,s} ) = ( {1 / n!} )[ {\Delta ^n ( {sx} )_m } ]_{x = 0} ,s = {a / b}$, studied by the author [5; 1975], [6;1976], [7; 1977]. Some additional properties and applications of these numbers are given here.More specifically, some expansions by aid of the numbers $C( {m,n,s} )$ useful in occupancy theory are developed and a representation of $C( {m,m - n,s} )$ as sum of factorials is obtained. The coefficients of this representation have an interesting combinatorial interpretation. Some applications in occupancy theory are briefly indicated. Finally $C( {m,n,s} )$ are shown to be the coefficients of the generalized Hermite polynomials.
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