The partial-fractions method for counting solutions to integral linear systems

In this expository article we give an introduction to Ehrhart theory, i.e., the theory of integer points in polyhedra, and take a tour through its applications in enumerative combinatorics. Topics include geometric modeling in combinatorics, Ehrhart's method for proving that a couting function is a polynomial, the connection between polyhedral cones, rational functions and quasisymmetric functions, methods for bounding coefficients, combinatorial reciprocity theorems, algorit...

For a vector $\mathbf a=(a_1,\ldots,a_r)$ of positive integers we prove formulas for the restricted partition function $p_{\mathbf a}(n): = $ the number of integer solutions $(x_1,\dots,x_r)$ to $\sum_{j=1}^r a_jx_j=n$ with $x_1\geq 0, \ldots, x_r\geq 0$ and its polynomial part.

A vector partition function is the number of ways to write a vector as a non-negative integer-coefficient sum of the elements of a finite set of vectors $\Delta$. We present a new algorithm for computing closed-form formulas for vector partition functions as quasi-polynomials over a finite set of pointed polyhedral cones, implemented in the ``calculator'' computer algebra system. We include an exposition of previously known theory of vector partition functions. While our resu...

We consider sequences of integers defined by a system of linear inequalities with integer coefficients. We show that when the constraints are strong enough to guarantee that all the entries are nonnegative, the generating function for the integer solutions of weight $n$ has a finite product form. The results are proved bijectively and are used to give several examples of interesting identities for integer partitions and compositions. The method can be adapted to accommodate e...

We examine two different ways of encoding a counting function, as a rational generating function and explicitly as a function (defined piecewise using the greatest integer function). We prove that, if the degree and number of input variables of the (quasi-polynomial) function are fixed, there is a polynomial time algorithm which converts between the two representations. Examples of such counting functions include Ehrhart quasi-polynomials, vector partition functions, integer ...

Using methods developed in multivariate splines, we present an explicit formula for discrete truncated powers, which are defined as the number of non-negative integer solutions of linear Diophantine equations. We further use the formula to study some classical problems in discrete mathematics as follows. First, we extend the partition function of integers in number theory. Second, we exploit the relation between the relative volume of convex polytopes and multivariate truncat...

Let $\mathbf a=(a_1,\ldots,a_r)$ be a vector of positive integers. In continuation of a previous paper we present other formulas for the restricted partition function $p_{\mathbf a}(n): = $ the number of integer solutions $(x_1,\dots,x_r)$ to $\sum_{j=1}^r a_jx_j=n$ with $x_1\geq 0, \ldots, x_r\geq 0$.

New formulae are presented for the number $P(b)$ of non-negative integer solutions of a Diophantine equation $\sum_{i=1}^{n}a_ix_i=b$ and for the number $Q(b)$ of non-negative integer solutions of the Diophantine inequality $\sum_{i=1}^{n}a_ix_i\leq b$ $(a_i>0, b\geq 0$).

In this paper, we address the problem of counting integer points in a rational polytope described by $P(y) = \{ x \in \mathbb{R}^m \colon Ax = y, x \geq 0\}$, where $A$ is an $n \times m$ integer matrix and $y$ is an $n$-dimensional integer vector. We study the Z-transformation approach initiated by Brion-Vergne, Beck, and Lasserre-Zeron from the numerical analysis point of view, and obtain a new algorithm on this problem: If $A$ is nonnegative, then the number of integer poi...

The Baldoni--Vergne volume and Ehrhart polynomial formulas for flow polytopes are significant in at least two ways. On one hand, these formulas are in terms of Kostant partition functions, connecting flow polytopes to this classical vector partition function fundamental in representation theory. On the other hand the Ehrhart polynomials can be read off from the volume functions of flow polytopes. The latter is remarkable since the leading term of the Ehrhart polynomial of an ...