See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/331409056

COMBINATORICAL APPLICATIONS OF ROOK POLYNOMIALS

Conference Paper · April 2017

CITATIONS READS
0 2,496

2 authors:

Laisin Mark Franklin Ejilimalu

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University
34 PUBLICATIONS 40 CITATIONS 3 PUBLICATIONS 2 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

CONTROL THEORY View project

ENUMERATIVE TECHNIQUES FOR k-SEPARABLE NON-INCLUSION CONDITION ON A CIRCLE View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Laisin Mark on 28 February 2019.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 http://coou.edu.ng/oer/conference-papers/

Proceedings of the Conference of the Faculty of Physical Sciences, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu

Ojukwu University, Uli
(FAPSCON 2017) Uli, Nigeria 4-5 May, 2017.

COMBINATORICAL APPLICATIONS OF ROOK POLYNOMIALS

Laisin Mark1 and F. Ndubuisi2

1,2
Department of Mathematics, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Uli
[email protected]

Abstract
In this paper, we studied the game of chess, the rook and its movements to capture pieces in the same row
or column as the rook. With this idea we applied it to combinatorical problems which involve permutation
with Forbidden positions. By applying generating functions and × arrays to construct rook
polynomials in a combinatorical way.
Key words: r-arrangement, combinatorial structures, Chess movements.

1.0 Introduction
The problem of counting arrangements of objects where there are restrictions in some of the
positions in which they can be placed has been addressed by different authors with applications
such as; need to match applicants to jobs, where some of the applicants cannot hold certain jobs,
or need to pair up artists, but some of the artists cannot be paired up with some of the artists [2].
Now, to address this type of problems where there is need to find the number of arrangements with
“Forbidden positions” has been addressed so many years ago. These can be traced back to the early
eighteenth century when the French mathematician PIERRE DE MONTMORT studied the
problem des rencontres (the matching problem) [6]. In this paper our focus is on forbidden
positions in a chess board, a rook has the ability to capture pieces in the same row or column as
the rook. We use this idea and apply it to combinatorial problem that involves permutation with
forbidden positions.

1.1 Basic definitions

Rook: A rook is a chess piece that moves horizontally or vertically and can take (or capture) a
piece if that piece rests on a square in the same row or column as the rook [2, 4, 5].
a. Board: A board B is an × array of n rows and m columns. When a board has a darkened
square, it is said to have a forbidden position.
b. Rook polynomial: A rook polynomial on a board B, with forbidden positions is denoted
as ( , ), given by

( , )= ( )

145
Proceedings of FAPSCON 2017, Uli, Nigeria (4-5 May, 2017)
 http://coou.edu.ng/oer/conference-papers/

Where ( , ) has coefficients ( ) representing the number of non-capturing rooks on

board B. Clearly, we have just one way of not placing a rook. Thus ( ) = 1
c. A board B with forbidden positions, is said to be disjoint if the board can be decomposed
into two sub-boards ∶ =1 2 such that, neither nor share the same row or
column. [5]

fig ii
fig i

Clearly, fig i is disjoint while fig ii is not.

Boards are invariant, they can be rearranged by swapping rows with rows or by swapping columns
with columns. This allows us to attempt to make non-disjoint boards into disjoint boards.
Non-taking rooks is to enumerate the number of ways of placing k rooks on a chessboard such that
no rook will be captured by any other rook.

Theorem 1 (Principle of inclusion-exclusion (PIE). ([4, 6])

If ( , , , . . . , ) is any sequence of finite sets, then

( )
= (−1) ( )
⊂| | ∅ ∈

Where is an indexing set and ( ) is the cardinality of the indexing set.

Theorem 2
If B is a board of darkened squares that decomposes into two disjoint sub-boards ∶ =
1 2, then ( , ) = ( , ) ( , ). [4]
Theorem 3
The number of ways to arrange n objects among m positions ( ≥ ) when there are restricted
positions is
( , ) ( , )
= ( , )− ( ) ( − 1, − 1)
+ ( ) ( − 2, − 2) + . . . (−1) ( ) ( − , 0)
When =
∑ (−1) ( ) ( − , − ) = ( , )− ( ) ( − 1, − 1) + ( ) ( − 2, −
2) + . . . (−1) ( ) ( − , − ) [4, 5]

146
Proceedings of FAPSCON 2017, Uli, Nigeria (4-5 May, 2017)
 http://coou.edu.ng/oer/conference-papers/

1.2 Applications
The admission officer selected the following students (Ada (A), Chinedu (C), Fonyuy (F), Gabche
(G) and Kinyuy (K) with highest scores during the 2016/2017 JAMB examinations. To offer this
students admission, the V.C. of Chukwuemeka Odimuegwu Ojukwu University, Uli, then
requested for the number of ways it will take the University to offer admission to the students in
any of the following faculties; Biological Science (B), Engineering (E), Law (L), Management
(M) and Physical Science, provided the students meet the faculty requirements. It follows that;
a. the Faculty of Biological Science (B) can’t admit Fonyuy (F) and Gabche (G)
b. the Faculty of Engineering (E) can’t admit Ada (A) and Chinedu (C),
c. the Faculty of Law (L) can’t admit Fonyuy (F)
d. the Faculty of Management (M) can’t admit Fonyuy (F),
e. the Faculty of Physical Science can’t admit Chinedu (C), and Kinyuy (K)
In how many ways can the admission officer admit the selected students?

2.0 Solution
The selected students are; Ada (A), Chinedu (C), Fonyuy (F), Gabche (G) and Kinyuy (K) and the
faculties are; Biological Science (B), Engineering (E), Law (L), Management (M) and Physical
Science. Where m = 5 and n = 5. We can construct a board of order 5 × 5 with darkened squares
for the Forbidden positions.
B E L M P
A
C
F F-K
G
K K-F
E-M
M-E
We now construct a new board with the following row
movements F-k and K-F, and columns movements E-M and
M-E respectively. Thus, arranging the board into disjoint sub-
boards and we have;

B M P E L
A
C
K
G
F

We have the following row movements FK and KF, the columns movements EM and ME. That
generate the two sub-boards and respectively.

147
Proceedings of FAPSCON 2017, Uli, Nigeria (4-5 May, 2017)
 http://coou.edu.ng/oer/conference-papers/

Applying the definition 1.1 b we have that ( )= ( ) = 1 and it also follows that
( )= ( ) = 4 and ( ) = 2, ( )=3
Therefore the Rook polynomial on board B, with forbidden positions can now be simplified as
follows.

( , )= ( ) = 1+4 +2

( , )= ( ) =1+4 +3

( , )= ( ) = (1 + 4 + 2 )( 1 + 4 + 3 )

= 1 + 8 + 21 + 20 +6
3.0 Analysis
The combinatorial analyst employed the generating functions and n × m arrays to construct
rook polynomials ( , ) = 1 + 8 + 21 + 20 + 6 in a combinatorial way. To determine
the number of possible admission positions for the five students into the various faculties. We now
applied Theorem 1 to obtain the numbers of possible admission positions that could be allocated
to this particular set of students with Forbidden position given by
∑ (−1) ( ) ( − , − ) . Where n = 5, we have that, ∑ (−1) ( ) (5 − ,
5 − ) = 20 admission position.

4.0 Report
The Admission Officer informs the V.C. that twenty admission allocations can be given to the
special students with high performance in the 2016/2017 JAMB examinations.

References
[1] Alayout, Feryal, Rook Polynomial in three and Higher Dimensions. N.p. : n.p., n.d. PDF.
[2] Goldman, Jay. Generalized Rook Polynomial. N.p. : n.p., n.d. April 14, 2000. PDF.
[3] Heckman,Christopher. Rook Polynomial. N.p. : n.p., n.d. April 10, 2006. PDF.
[4] Michaels John. Arrangements with Forbidden Positions. N.p. : n.p., n.d. PDF.
[5] Nicholas, Pyzik. Rook Polynomial. N.p. : n.p., n.d. April 17, 2013. PDF.
[6] Tucker, Alan. Applied Combinatorics, Hoboken, NJ: 2007, Print.

148
Proceedings of FAPSCON 2017, Uli, Nigeria (4-5 May, 2017)

View publication stats