[Math] Problem on number of ways of writing $n$ as a sum of distinct integers vs a sum of odd integers

combinatoricsgenerating-functions

I found this problem while doing a few problems on partitions of an integer:

Prove that the number of ways of writing $n$ as a sum of distinct positive integers is equal to the number of ways of writing $n$ as a sum of odd positive integers.

Attempt at solution:
I tried to perform some manipulations on the generating function for the partitions of $n$ to get the latter, but could not do so.

Best Answer

I think this was proved by Euler.

The number of partitions of $n$ as a sum of odd positive integers is the coefficient of the $x^n$ in the expansion of : $$\frac{1}{(1-x)(1-x^3)(1-x^5)(1-x^7)\dots} $$

and the number of ways of writing $n$ as a sum of distinct positive integers is the coefficient of $x^n$ in

$$(1+x)(1+x^2)(1+x^3)\dots$$

Trivially we have $\frac{1}{(1-x)(1-x^3)(1-x^5)(1-x^7)\dots} = \frac{1-x^2}{1-x} \cdot \frac{1-x^4}{1-x^2} \cdot \frac{1-x^6}{1-x^3} \cdot \frac{1-x^8}{1-x^4}\dots$ $$ = (1+x)(1+x^2)(1+x^3)\dots$$