OFFSET
0,2
COMMENTS
Fractional factorials are defined in terms of the gamma function; for example, (n/3)! := Gamma(n/3 + 1).
Given two sequences of numbers c = (c_1, c_2, ..., c_K) and d = (d_1, d_2, ..., d_L) where c_1 + ... + c_K = d_1 + ... + d_L we can define the factorial ratio sequence u_n(c, d) = (c_1*n)!*(c_2*n)!* ... *(c_K*n)!/ ( (d_1*n)!*(d_2*n)!* ... *(d_L*n)! ) and ask whether it is integral for all n >= 0. The integer L - K is called the height of the sequence. Bober completed the classification of integral factorial ratio sequences of height 1. For a list of the 52 sporadic integral factorial ratio sequences see A295431.
It is usually assumed that the c's and d's are integers but here we allow for some of the c's and d's to be rational numbers.
A295437, defined by A295437(n) = (18*n)!*n! / ((9*n)!*(6*n)!*(4*n)!) is one of the 52 sporadic integral factorial ratio sequences of height 1 found by V. I. Vasyunin (see Bober, Table 2, Entry 7). Here we are essentially considering the sequence {A295437(n/3) : n >= 0}. This sequence is only conjecturally an integer sequence.
Conjecture: the supercongruences a(n*p^r) == a(n*p^(r-1)) (mod p^(3*r)) hold for all primes p >= 5 and all positive integers n and r.
LINKS
Peter Bala, Some integer ratios of factorials
J. W. Bober, Factorial ratios, hypergeometric series, and a family of step functions, arXiv:0709.1977 [math.NT], 2007; J. London Math. Soc., 79, Issue 2, (2009), 422-444.
FORMULA
a(n) ~ 2^(4*n/3 - 3/2) * 3^(4*n) / sqrt(Pi*n). - Vaclav Kotesovec, Jul 13 2023
a(n) = 5832*(6*n - 1)*(6*n - 5)*(6*n - 7)*(6*n - 11)*(6*n - 13)*(6*n - 17)/(n*(n - 1)*(n - 2)*(2*n - 3)*(4*n - 3)*(4*n - 9))*a(n-3) for n >= 3 with a(0) = 1, a(1) = 45 and a(2) = 6237.
MAPLE
seq( simplify((6*n)!*(n/3)!/((3*n)!*(2*n)!*(4*n/3)!)), n = 0..15);
MATHEMATICA
Table[Product[36*(6*k - 5)*(6*k - 1)/(k*(3*k + n)), {k, 1, n}], {n, 0, 20}] (* Vaclav Kotesovec, Jul 13 2023 *)
CROSSREFS
KEYWORD
nonn,easy
AUTHOR
Peter Bala, Jul 12 2023
STATUS
approved