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The hook-length formula and generalised Catalan numbers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 January 2015

Martin Griffiths and
Nick Lord
Martin Griffiths
Affiliation:
School of Education, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, e-mail: gazette-reviews@m-a.org.uk
Nick Lord
Affiliation:
Tonbridge School, Kent TN9 1JP
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Extract

In [1] there is a rather nice story regarding the coming into being of the hook-length formula. The year was 1953, and the Canadian mathematician Gilbert Robinson was visiting a fellow mathematician, James Frame, at Michigan State University. One of their discussions concerned the work of Ralph Staal [2], an ex-student of Robinson, and this led to Frame conjecturing the formula. Apparently, Robinson was not at all convinced initially that the formula could be as simple as the one Frame was proposing. He was, however, eventually won over, and the combined efforts of these two mathematicians soon elicited a proof.

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Articles
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The Mathematical Gazette , Volume 95 , Issue 532 , March 2011, pp. 23 - 30
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Copyright © The Mathematical Association 2011

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References

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