A POLYNOMIAL ANALOGUE TO THE STERN SEQUENCE

Abstract

We extend the Stern sequence, sometimes also called Stern's diatomic sequence, to polynomials with coefficients 0 and 1 and derive various properties, including a generating function. A simple iteration for quotients of consecutive terms of the Stern sequence, recently obtained by Moshe Newman, is extended to this polynomial sequence. Finally we establish connections with Stirling numbers and Chebyshev polynomials, extending some results of Carlitz. In the process we also obtain some new results and new proofs for the classical Stern sequence.