Pattern avoidance in binary trees

This paper considers the enumeration of trees avoiding a contiguous pattern. We provide an algorithm for computing the generating function that counts n-leaf binary trees avoiding a given binary tree pattern t. Equipped with this counting mechanism, we study the analogue of Wilf equivalence in which two tree patterns are equivalent if the respective n-leaf trees that avoid them are equinumerous. We investigate the equivalence classes combinatorially. Toward establishing bijective proofs of tree pattern equivalence, we develop a general method of restructuring trees that conjecturally succeeds to produce an explicit bijection for each pair of equivalent tree patterns.Comment: 19 pages, many images; published versio

Non-Contiguous Pattern Avoidance in Binary Trees

In this paper we consider the enumeration of binary trees avoiding non-contiguous binary tree patterns. We begin by computing closed formulas for the number of trees avoiding a single binary tree pattern with 4 or fewer leaves and compare these results to analogous work for contiguous tree patterns. Next, we give an explicit generating function that counts binary trees avoiding a single non-contiguous tree pattern according to number of leaves. In addition, we enumerate binary trees that simultaneously avoid more than one tree pattern. Finally, we explore connections between pattern-avoiding trees and pattern-avoiding permutations.Comment: 21 pages, 2 figures, 1 tabl

Combinatorial generation via permutation languages. VI. Binary trees

In this paper we propose a notion of pattern avoidance in binary trees that generalizes the avoidance of contiguous tree patterns studied by Rowland and non-contiguous tree patterns studied by Dairyko, Pudwell, Tyner, and Wynn. Specifically, we propose algorithms for generating different classes of binary trees that are characterized by avoiding one or more of these generalized patterns. This is achieved by applying the recent Hartung-Hoang-M\"utze-Williams generation framework, by encoding binary trees via permutations. In particular, we establish a one-to-one correspondence between tree patterns and certain mesh permutation patterns. We also conduct a systematic investigation of all tree patterns on at most 5 vertices, and we establish bijections between pattern-avoiding binary trees and other combinatorial objects, in particular pattern-avoiding lattice paths and set partitions

Non-Contiguous Pattern Avoidance in Binary Trees

We consider the enumeration of binary trees avoiding non-contiguous binary tree patterns. We begin by modifying a known algorithm that counts binary trees avoiding a single contiguous tree pattern. Next, we use this algorithm to prove several theorems about the generating function whose nth coefficient gives the number of n-leaf trees avoiding a pattern. In addition, we investigate and structurally explain the recurrences that arise from these generating functions. Finally, we examine the enumeration of binary trees avoiding multiple tree patterns

On the sub-permutations of pattern avoiding permutations

There is a deep connection between permutations and trees. Certain sub-structures of permutations, called sub-permutations, bijectively map to sub-trees of binary increasing trees. This opens a powerful tool set to study enumerative and probabilistic properties of sub-permutations and to investigate the relationships between 'local' and 'global' features using the concept of pattern avoidance. First, given a pattern {\mu}, we study how the avoidance of {\mu} in a permutation {\pi} affects the presence of other patterns in the sub-permutations of {\pi}. More precisely, considering patterns of length 3, we solve instances of the following problem: given a class of permutations K and a pattern {\mu}, we ask for the number of permutations $\pi \in Av_n(\mu)$ whose sub-permutations in K satisfy certain additional constraints on their size. Second, we study the probability for a generic pattern to be contained in a random permutation {\pi} of size n without being present in the sub-permutations of {\pi} generated by the entry $1 \leq k \leq n$. These theoretical results can be useful to define efficient randomized pattern-search procedures based on classical algorithms of pattern-recognition, while the general problem of pattern-search is NP-complete

Pattern Avoidance in Ternary Trees

This paper considers the enumeration of ternary trees (i.e. rooted ordered trees in which each vertex has 0 or 3 children) avoiding a contiguous ternary tree pattern. We begin by finding recurrence relations for several simple tree patterns; then, for more complex trees, we compute generating functions by extending a known algorithm for pattern-avoiding binary trees. Next, we present an alternate one-dimensional notation for trees which we use to find bijections that explain why certain pairs of tree patterns yield the same avoidance generating function. Finally, we compare our bijections to known "replacement rules" for binary trees and generalize these bijections to a larger class of trees.Comment: 19 pages, 11 figure

Pattern Avoidance in k-ary Heaps

In this paper, we consider pattern avoidance in k-ary heaps, where the permutation associated with the heap is found by recording the nodes as they are encountered in a breadth-first search. We enumerate heaps that avoid patterns of length 3 and collections of patterns of length 3, first with binary heaps and then more generally with k-ary heaps

Pattern avoidance in labelled trees

We discuss a new notion of pattern avoidance motivated by the operad theory: pattern avoidance in planar labelled trees. It is a generalisation of various types of consecutive pattern avoidance studied before: consecutive patterns in words, permutations, coloured permutations etc. The notion of Wilf equivalence for patterns in permutations admits a straightforward generalisation for (sets of) tree patterns; we describe classes for trees with small numbers of leaves, and give several bijections between trees avoiding pattern sets from the same class. We also explain a few general results for tree pattern avoidance, both for the exact and the asymptotic enumeration.Comment: 27 pages, corrected various misprints, added an appendix explaining the operadic contex

Pattern avoidance in forests of binary shrubs

We investigate pattern avoidance in permutations satisfying some additional restrictions. These are naturally considered in terms of avoiding patterns in linear extensions of certain forest-like partially ordered sets, which we call binary shrub forests. In this context, we enumerate forests avoiding patterns of length three. In four of the five non-equivalent cases, we present explicit enumerations by exhibiting bijections with certain lattice paths bounded above by the line y = lx, for some l in Q+, one of these being the celebrated Duchon’s club paths with l = 2/3. In the remaining case, we use the machinery of analytic combinatorics to determine the minimal polynomial of its generating function, and deduce its growth rate