Talk:Gaussian binomial

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[edit] Notation

I have two comments about this page to put up for discussion:

  • First, it seems to me that "Gaussian binomial" is the least used of the many names for these objects. I nominate "Gaussian coefficients."
  • Second, instead of
{m\choose r}_q,

I am more used to seeing

\begin{bmatrix}n\\k\end{bmatrix}_q.

Would there be any objections to making these changes?

Well, the reason for both the name and the notation, is to parallel binomial coefficient. The new square braket notation will remove this analogy, which is probably not good. Oleg Alexandrov 17:52, 15 Apr 2005 (UTC)
I agree that the parallel to binomial coefficients would be nice, if that were indeed the way people wrote these things. It's just that that's not how I've seen it done. Vince Vatter 18:13, 15 Apr 2005 (UTC)
You would need to contact the main author of this then --> Linas. Cheers, Oleg Alexandrov 18:17, 15 Apr 2005 (UTC)

In addition to the above notations, I have also seen just plain old

\begin{bmatrix}n\\k\end{bmatrix}

(without the subscript q), and also a version of

{m\choose r}

where all the symbols (including the outer parentheses) are in bold. (The latter is what Stanley uses in Enumerative Combinatorics). I don't know how to get bolded parentheses in latex (let alone texvc). I think all are acceptable; I don't know which is the most common. Dmharvey Image:User_dmharvey_sig.png Talk 1 July 2005 13:20 (UTC)

[edit] conventions for out-of-range inputs?

What are the conventions for the definition of

{m \choose r}_q

when r < 0 or r > m? Is it then zero, similarly to the ordinary binomial coefficient situation? Dmharvey Image:User_dmharvey_sig.png Talk 1 July 2005 13:24 (UTC)

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../g/a/u/Talk%7EGaussian_binomial_4aa7.html"