$6$-regular partitions: new combinatorial properties, congruences, and linear inequalities

Abstract

We consider the number of the $6$-regular partitions of $n$, $b_6(n)$, and give infinite families of congruences modulo $3$ (in arithmetic progression) for $b_6(n)$. We also consider the number of the partitions of $n$ into distinct parts not congruent to $\pm 2$ modulo $6$, $Q_2(n)$, and investigate connections between $b_6(n)$ and $Q_2(n)$ providing new combinatorial interpretations for these partition functions. In this context, we discover new infinite families of linear inequalities involving Euler's partition function $p(n)$. Infinite families of linear inequalities involving the $6$-regular partition function $b_6(n)$ and the distinct partition function $Q_2(n)$ are proposed as open problems.