Using a recursion relation to find the number of elements in a partition

Raziel2701
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Homework Statement


Let S(n,r) denote the number of elements of A_n of rank r. Then S(n,r) satisfies the recursion S(n,r)=(n-r)S(n-1,r-1) + S(n-1,r) Verify this formula for n=4 and r=0,1,2,3,4, using the values
S(3,0) = 1
S(3,1)=3
S(3,2)=1


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


So I had already done by hand what the different partitions of A_n are. The set I'm taking the partitions from is {1,2,3,4}. Now for all of the calculations using the formula I get the right number of elements, but for S(4,2) I get 7 according to the formula, when I get 3 when I calculate this by hand.

So let me show you:
The partitions of the set {1,2,3,4} of rank 2 are:

{{1,2},{3,4}}, {{1,3},{2,4}}, {{1,4},{2,3}} Correct? So am I doing something wrong? There are three elements of A_n of rank 2.
 
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Hi Raziel2701! :wink:
Raziel2701 said:
The partitions of the set {1,2,3,4} of rank 2 are:

{{1,2},{3,4}}, {{1,3},{2,4}}, {{1,4},{2,3}} Correct? So am I doing something wrong? There are three elements of A_n of rank 2.

Don't you have to include 4 more, of the type {{1},{2,3,4}} ? :smile:
 
I have another question, and thanks for pointing out my error :). I have to draw the Hasse diagram for these partitions. Is it going to look like this? http://imgur.com/z4mjt.png

I think it's messy, which is why I think it's wrong, so if someone could point me in the right direction that'd be great.

Thanks.
 
Raziel2701 said:
I have to draw the Hasse diagram for these partitions. Is it going to look like this? http://imgur.com/z4mjt.png

No, you've drawn each two-element set as containing every one-element set!
 
There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...

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