On the Foundations of Combinatorial Theory 论文

摘要

One of the most useful principles of enumeration in discrete probability and combinatorial theory is the celebrated principle of·inclusion-exclusion (ef. Feller*, FrÉchet, Riordan, Ryser). When skillfully applied, this principle has yielded the solution to many a combinatorial problem. Its mathematical foundations were thoroughly investigated not long ago in a monograph by FrÉchet, and it might at first appear that, after such exhaustive work, little else could be said on the subject.