Probabilities as values of modular forms and continued fractions.
We describe the class of probability measures whose moments are given in terms of the Aval numbers. They are expressed as the multiplicative free convolution of measures corresponding to the ballot numbers .
Let G be a finite group of even order. We give some bounds for the probability p(G) that a randomly chosen element in G has a square root. In particular, we prove that p(G) ≤ 1 - ⌊√|G|⌋/|G|. Moreover, we show that if the Sylow 2-subgroup of G is not a proper normal elementary abelian subgroup of G, then p(G) ≤ 1 - 1/√|G|. Both of these bounds are best possible upper bounds for p(G), depending only on the order of G.
Let p̅(n) denote the number of overpartitions of n. It was conjectured by Hirschhorn and Sellers that p̅(40n+35) ≡ 0 (mod 40) for n ≥ 0. Employing 2-dissection formulas of theta functions due to Ramanujan, and Hirschhorn and Sellers, we obtain a generating function for p̅(40n+35) modulo 5. Using the (p, k)-parametrization of theta functions given by Alaca, Alaca and Williams, we prove the congruence p̅(40n+35) ≡ 0 (mod 5) for n ≥ 0. Combining this congruence and the congruence p̅(4n+3) ≡ 0 (mod...