A symmetrical plane partition correspondence

Abstract

MacMahon conjectured the form of the generating function for symmetrical plane partitions, and as a special case deduced the following theorem. The set of partitions of a number n whose part magnitude and number of parts are both no greater than m is equinumerous with the set of symmetrical plane partitions of 2n whose part magnitude does not exceed 2 and whose largest axis does not exceed m. This theorem, together with a companion theorem for the symmetrical plane partitions of odd numbers, are proved by establishing 1-1 correspondences between the sets of partitions. © 1982.