The '''spt function''' (smallest parts function) is a function in number theory that counts the sum of the number of smallest parts in each integer partition of a positive integer. It is related to the partition function.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Andrews |first=George E. |author-link=George Andrews (mathematician) |date=2008-11-01 |title=The number of smallest parts in the partitions of n |url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/CRELLE.2008.083/html |journal= Journal für die Reine und Angewandte Mathematik |language=en |volume=2008 |issue=624 |pages=133–142 |doi=10.1515/CRELLE.2008.083 |s2cid=123142859 |issn=1435-5345|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
The first few values of spt(''n'') are:
:1, 3, 5, 10, 14, 26, 35, 57, 80, 119, 161, 238, 315, 440, 589 ... {{OEIS|id=A092269}}
== Example ==
For example, there are five partitions of 4 (with smallest parts underlined):
:{{underline|4}} :3 + {{underline|1}} :{{underline|2}} + {{underline|2}} :2 + {{underline|1}} + {{underline|1}} :{{underline|1}} + {{underline|1}} + {{underline|1}} + {{underline|1}}
These partitions have 1, 1, 2, 2, and 4 smallest parts, respectively. So spt(4) = 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 4 = 10.
== Properties ==
Like the partition function, spt(''n'') has a generating function. It is given by :<math>S(q)=\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \mathrm{spt}(n) q^n=\frac{1}{(q)_{\infty}}\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{q^n \prod_{m=1}^{n-1}(1-q^m)}{1-q^n}</math> where <math>(q)_{\infty}=\prod_{n=1}^{\infty} (1-q^n)</math>.
The function <math>S(q)</math> is related to a mock modular form. Let <math>E_2(z)</math> denote the weight 2 quasi-modular Eisenstein series and let <math>\eta(z)</math> denote the Dedekind eta function. Then for <math>q=e^{2\pi i z}</math>, the function :<math>\tilde{S}(z):=q^{-1/24}S(q)-\frac{1}{12}\frac{E_2(z)}{\eta(z)}</math> is a mock modular form of weight 3/2 on the full modular group <math>SL_2(\mathbb{Z})</math> with multiplier system <math>\chi_{\eta}^{-1}</math>, where <math>\chi_{\eta}</math> is the multiplier system for <math>\eta(z)</math>. <!-- under certain conditions the generating function is an eigenform for some Hecke operators.<ref>{{cite journal | title = Congruences for Andrews’ spt-function modulo 32760 and extension of Atkin's Hecke-type partition congruences | author = Frank Garvan}}</ref> *** this is only true modulo weakly holomorphic modular forms -->
While a closed formula is not known for spt(''n''), there are Ramanujan-like congruences including :<math>\mathrm{spt}(5n+4) \equiv 0 \mod(5) </math> :<math>\mathrm{spt}(7n+5) \equiv 0 \mod(7) </math> :<math>\mathrm{spt}(13n+6) \equiv 0 \mod(13).</math>
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Combinatorics Category:Integer sequences
{{Numtheory-stub}} {{combin-stub}}