# Q-analogues of the Fibo-Stirling numbers

## TL;DR

This paper extends Fibonacci-based Stirling numbers by introducing two types of q-analogues, providing combinatorial interpretations through modified rook theory models for these new mathematical objects.

## Contribution

It develops combinatorial interpretations for two types of q-analogues of Fibo-Stirling numbers using modified rook theory models, expanding understanding of Fibonacci-related factorial bases.

## Key findings

- Established combinatorial interpretations for q-analogues of Fibo-Stirling numbers.
- Modified rook theory models accommodate two different q-analogues.
- Connected q-analogues serve as coefficients between Fibonacci factorial bases.

## Abstract

Let $F_n$ denote the $n^{th}$ Fibonacci number relative to the initial conditions $F_0=0$ and $F_1=1$. Bach, Paudyal, and Remmel introduced Fibonacci analogues of the Stirling numbers called Fibo-Stirling numbers of the first and second kind. These numbers serve as the connection coefficients between the Fibo-falling factorial basis $\{(x)_{\downarrow_{F,n}}:n \geq 0\}$ and the Fibo-rising factorial basis $\{(x)_{\uparrow_{F,n}}:n \geq 0\}$ which are defined by $(x)_{\downarrow_{F,0}} = (x)_{\uparrow_{F,0}} = 1$ and for $k \geq 1$, $(x)_{\downarrow_{F,k}} = x(x-F_1) \cdots (x-F_{k-1})$ and $(x)_{\uparrow_{F,k}} = x(x+F_1) \cdots (x+F_{k-1})$. We gave a general rook theory model which allowed us to give combinatorial interpretations of the Fibo-Stirling numbers of the first and second kind. There are two natural $q$-analogues of the falling and rising Fibo-factorial basis. That is, let $[x]_q = \frac{q^x-1}{q-1}$. Then we let $[x]_{\downarrow_{q,F,0}} = \overline{[x]}_{\downarrow_{q,F,0}} = [x]_{\uparrow_{q,F,0}} = \overline{[x]}_{\uparrow_{q,F,0}}=1$ and, for $k > 0$, we let $[x]_{\downarrow_{q,F,k}} = [x]_q [x-F_1]_q \cdots [x-F_{k-1}]_q$, $\overline{[x]}_{\downarrow_{q,F,k}}= [x]_q ([x]_q-[F_1]_q) \cdots ([x]_q-[F_{k-1}]_q)$, $[x]_{\uparrow_{q,F,k}}= [x]_q [x+F_1]_q \cdots [x+F_{k-1}]_q$, and $\overline{[x]}_{\uparrow_{q,F,k}}= [x]_q ([x]_q+[F_1]_q) \cdots ([x]_q+[F_{k-1}]_q)$. In this paper, we show we can modify the rook theory model of Bach, Paudyal, and Remmel to give combinatorial interpretations for the two different types $q$-analogues of the Fibo-Stirling numbers which arise as the connection coefficients between the two different $q$-analogues of the Fibonacci falling and rising factorial bases. \end{abstract}