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I find the following averaged-integral amusing and intriguing, to say the least. Is there any proof?

For any pair of integers $n\geq k\geq0$, we have $$\frac1{\pi}\int_0^{\pi}\frac{\sin^n(x)}{\sin^k(\frac{kx}n)\sin^{n-k}\left(\frac{(n-k)x}n\right)}dx=\binom{n}k. \tag1$$

I also wonder if there's any reason to relate these with an MO question that I just noticed. Perhaps by inverting?

AN UPDATE. I'm extending the above to a stronger conjecture shown below.

For non-negative reals with $r\geq s$, a generalization is given by $$\frac1{\pi}\int_0^{\pi}\frac{\sin^r(x)}{\sin^s(\frac{sx}r)\sin^{r-s}\left(\frac{(r-s)x}r\right)}\,dx =\binom{r}{s}. \tag2$$

T. Amdeberhan
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    Does that mean you have a proof? If so, what is the question? If not, where does the equality come from? – Geoff Robinson Nov 02 '16 at 00:50
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    I do not have a proof. It comes from some experimentation and curiosity. – T. Amdeberhan Nov 02 '16 at 01:01
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    very interesting formula. I verified it for a few easy cases (e.g. ${2n}\choose{n}$) and also few not-so-trivial(e.g. ${3}\choose{1}$) with Mathematica. – BigM Nov 02 '16 at 04:32
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    @BigM: Thanks for your verifications. The case $(n,k)\rightarrow(2n,n)$ reduces (using the half-angle formula) to an integral of the form $\int \cos^{2n}x,dx$ which is well-known and it matches the above claim. – T. Amdeberhan Nov 02 '16 at 10:55
  • Ok, thanks for the clarification. But then you should probably make it clear that it is a conjecture supported by empirical evidence, not a proven fact. – Geoff Robinson Nov 02 '16 at 11:05
  • I wonder why someone voted to close?! – Timothy Chow Nov 02 '16 at 15:11
  • @TimothyChow: It was funny for me too. I hope they can explain why or drop the "close" button. :-) – T. Amdeberhan Nov 02 '16 at 15:25
  • Is it clear that this works for rational (or perhaps even complex) $n>k$, if it works for integral $n$? – Martin Rubey Nov 02 '16 at 15:44
  • @MartinRubey: I'm convinced it works for real exponents. – T. Amdeberhan Nov 02 '16 at 15:46
  • Incidentally, it was not me who voted to close. – Geoff Robinson Nov 02 '16 at 20:03
  • @MartinRubey interestingly enough that was my first question. And I think can show this fact given it works for natural numbers. –  Nov 02 '16 at 22:20
  • @james.nixon: While we wait for a proof for the integers, why not write your argument for "if true for integers then true for rationals/real/complex."? – T. Amdeberhan Nov 02 '16 at 22:34
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    @T.Amdeberhan I'm slightly occupied at the moment, but I worked out an argument on paper. I'll write it out tomorrow if it comes to fruition-- essentially it uses Ramanujan's master theorem in two variables. This is essentially an identity theorem on the naturals. if $|a_1(x+iy)|,|a_2(x+iy)| < C e^{(\pi-\delta)|y| + \rho|x|}$ for $x>0$ and $\rho$ arbitrary then $a_1\Big{|}{\mathbb{N}} = a_2\Big{|}{\mathbb{N}} \Rightarrow a_1 = a_2$. Therefore if $f(z)= \int_0^\pi \dfrac{\sin^{z}(x)}{\sin^{k}(\frac{k}{z}x)\sin^{z-k}(\frac{z-k}{z}x)}$ is bounded as such it necessarily equals $\dbinom{z}{k}$. –  Nov 02 '16 at 22:45
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    ...continued, I think it is bounded as such too, and if it isn't, it cannot equal $\dbinom{z}{k}$ because that is a contradiction in itself. And then for the lower argument you just rinse and repeat the procedure. –  Nov 02 '16 at 22:47
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    My attempt led to a binomial-coefficient identity to prove ... see http://mathoverflow.net/q/253835/454 – Gerald Edgar Nov 03 '16 at 12:31
  • It's interesting (though certainly not deep) that looking at a tent function instead of $\sin$ gives an integral of approximately $\sqrt{2 \pi k} \cdot \binom{n}{k}$ for $k \ll n$ by Stirling. I would guess the binomial term is kind of generic, and the true significance of $\sin$ in the integral is in avoiding multiplicative factors like that square root. – Steve Huntsman Nov 03 '16 at 17:33
  • For your update, you do not need to introduce the new parameter $\beta$ because of the scaling property of the integral: replacing $(r, s, \beta)$ by $(\beta r, \beta s, 1)$ leaves the integral unchanged. – Sangchul Lee Nov 04 '16 at 03:20
  • @SangchulLee: Oh, you're right. In that case, the update is simply extending the first conjecture to reals. Thanks. – T. Amdeberhan Nov 04 '16 at 03:29
  • Is the conjecture false if $r < s$? – Sam Hopkins Nov 04 '16 at 03:52
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    @SamHopkins: Even for integers $(n,k)$, the integrand on LHS has singularities. Take $n=1, k=2$. – T. Amdeberhan Nov 04 '16 at 04:02
  • @T. Amdeberhan: How is $\binom{r}{s}$ defined if $s$ is real? Using the Gamma function? – HeinrichD Nov 04 '16 at 07:00
  • Yes, it's defined via Euler's Gamma function $\Gamma(x)$. – T. Amdeberhan Nov 04 '16 at 11:23
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    s there a multinomial generalization? I couldn't get anything to work. Curiously, $\frac{1}{2\pi}\int_0^{2\pi}\frac{\sin(x)^4}{\sin(2x/4)^2\sin(x/4)^2}dx = {4\choose 2,1,1}=12$, which is exactly what we want, but sadly $\frac{1}{2\pi}\int_0^{2\pi}\frac{\sin(x)^3}{\sin(x/3)^3}dx = 5.1392\cdots$. – Richard Stanley Nov 04 '16 at 17:34
  • @Richard: That's a good idea. I too did make an attempt which got nowhere, unfortunately. – T. Amdeberhan Nov 04 '16 at 19:18
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    @RichardStanley That was a pretty mean trick mathematics played on you there! – Dan Piponi Nov 05 '16 at 00:43
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    Formula $(2)$ is due to C. L. Mallows, A formula for expected values, Amer. Math. Monthly 87 (1980), 584. Also see D. Stanton, R. Evans, M.E.H. Ismail, Coefficients in expansions of certain rational functions, Canad. J. Math. 34 (1982) 1011–1024. – Martin Nicholson Nov 30 '17 at 14:01

5 Answers5

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Tonight I read here [the answer by esg to another your question] that $\frac1{2\pi}\int_{-\pi}^\pi e^{-ik t}(1+e^{it})^ndt=\binom{n}{k}$, which is, well, obvious at least when both $n$ and $k$ are positive integers: just expand the binomial $(1+e^{it})^n$ and integrate. Denoting $\alpha=k/n$ we may rewrite this as $\frac1{2\pi}\int_{-\pi}^\pi (f(t))^n dt=\binom{n}{\alpha n}$, where the function $f(t)=(1+e^{it})e^{-i\alpha t}$ is complex-valued. For making it real-valued, we change the path between the points $-\pi$ and $\pi$. The value of the integral does not change (since $f^n$ is analytic between two paths, for integer $n$ it is simply entire function.) On the second path $f$ takes real values. Namely, for $t\in (-\pi,\pi)$ we define $s(t)=\ln \frac{\sin (1-\alpha)t}{\sin \alpha t}$. It is straightforward (some elementary high school trigonometry) that $$f(t+is(t))=\frac{\sin t}{\sin^{\alpha} \alpha t\cdot \sin^{1-\alpha}(1-\alpha)t},$$ so we replace the path from $(-\pi,\pi)$ to $\{t+s(t)i:t\in (-\pi,\pi)\}$ (limit values of $s(t)$ at the endpoints are equal to 0) and take only the real part of the integral (this allows to replace $d(t+s(t)i)$ to $dt$ in the differential). We get $$ \frac1{2\pi}\int_{-\pi}^\pi \frac{\sin^n t}{\sin^{\alpha n} \alpha t\cdot \sin^{(1-\alpha)n}(1-\alpha)t}dt=\binom{n}{\alpha n} $$ as desired.

Fedor Petrov
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  • This is very good. – T. Amdeberhan Nov 19 '16 at 13:32
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    I cannot imagine a better explanation for this beautiful identity. – Mark Wildon Nov 19 '16 at 13:38
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    Bravo, nice proof! It works for any (incl complex) values of $n$ and $k$ too, not just integer. Consider $(1/2\pi)\int_{-\pi}^\pi e^{-ikt}(1+e^{it})^n dt$ for $\Re(k)<0$, $\Re(n)>0$, then the integrand is analytic for $-\pi<\Re(t)<\pi$. We can deform the contour to two the vertical strips $\pm\pi+iy$ for $y>0$. Then you get a Beta function and the integral becomes $-(1/\pi)\sin(k\pi)B(-k,n+1)$ which is $\binom{n}{k}$, using the reflection formula $\sin(k\pi)=\pi/(\Gamma(k)\Gamma(1-k))$. The derivation was valid for $\Re(k)<0$, but both sides are analytic, so continuation gives you all $k$. – Alex Selby Nov 19 '16 at 19:08
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    Simply beautiful! – esg Nov 19 '16 at 20:19
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    Something interesting about this proof is that it is "backwards" from the normal way of substituting. Writing $u(t)=t+is(t)$, you'd normally want to have $t$ expressed analytically in terms of $u$ to get from the sinomial expression with $\sin^{\alpha}(\alpha t)$ etc to $(e^{-i\alpha u}+e^{i(1-\alpha)u})^n$. But there is presumably no such simple expression of $t$ in terms of $u$, so you had to know to start from $(e^{-i\alpha u}+e^{i(1-\alpha)u})^n$ and work the other way, using magic to end up with the sinomial expression. (Slightly wondering if other integrals can be unlocked like this.) – Alex Selby Nov 22 '16 at 00:57
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    @AlexSelby I know a similar proof that $\sum 1/n^2=\pi^2/6$: take integral $\int_{-1}^1 \log(1+z)/z dz$ (which equal $1/2$ times $\sum 1/(2k+1)^2$ as follows from series expanding) and replace the contour to an arc of a unit circle. It is borrowed from D. Russel, Another Eulerian-type proof. Math. Mag. 1991 60, p.349. – Fedor Petrov Nov 24 '16 at 22:18
  • It is just slick and so beautiful ! Bravo ! – Aditya Guha Roy Nov 06 '20 at 18:31
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(not an answer)

Denote $\alpha=k/n$, $f(x)=(\frac{\sin x}{\sin \alpha x})^\alpha (\frac{\sin x}{\sin (1-\alpha) x})^{1-\alpha}$. Then your claim may be rewritten as $\pi^{-1}\int_0^\pi f^n(x)dx=\frac{\Gamma(n+1)}{\Gamma(\alpha n+1)\Gamma((1-\alpha)n+1)}$, and it looks to be true without additional assumption that $\alpha n$ is integer (I checked for $\alpha=0.3;n=7$ or $n=7.4$ on WolframAlpha). We may multiply this by Beta-function $\int_0^1 t^{\alpha n}(1-t)^{(1-\alpha)n}dt=\frac{\Gamma(\alpha n+1)\Gamma((1-\alpha)n+1)}{\Gamma(n+2)}$, and we have to prove that $\int_0^\pi\int_0^1 h^n(t,x)dtdx=\frac{\pi}{n+1}$, where $h(t,x)=f(x)t^\alpha(1-t)^{1-\alpha}$. That is, our function $h$ on the rectangular $[0,\pi]\times [0,1]$ (with the normalized Lebesgue measure) should be equidistributed with the function $t$ on $[0,1]$. Another similar approach could be multiplying by two $\Gamma$-functions $\int_0^{\infty} y^{\alpha n}e^{-y}dy=\Gamma(\alpha n+1)$, $\int_0^{\infty} z^{(1-\alpha) n}e^{-z}dz=\Gamma((1-\alpha) n+1)$. On the probabilistic language, we get the following equivalent

Claim. Let EXP denote the exponential law (with density $e^{-t}dt$, $t>0$). Let $Y,Z$ be independent random variables distributed by EXP, and let $X$ be a third independent (of $Y,Z$) random variable distributed uniformly on $[0,\pi]$. Then for any fixed $\alpha\in (0,1)$ we have $$\left(Y\frac{\sin X}{\sin \alpha X}\right)^\alpha \left(Z\frac{\sin X}{\sin (1-\alpha) X}\right)^{1-\alpha}\in \text{EXP}.$$

Fedor Petrov
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I've found the time and thought I should post this as I had a little breakthrough. This isn't an answer to the question but is an answer to a question posted in the comments. If the result holds, does it hold for complex values? I am being brief here and certainly not rigorous as I thought it would be a nice quip to add; nonetheless the result should follow if one wishes to fill in the gaps. If we assume the answer to the OP's question is yes, then

$$\frac{1}{\pi}\int_0^\pi \dfrac{\sin^{z}(t)}{\sin^{k}(\frac{k}{z}t)\sin^{z-k}(\frac{z-k}{z}t)}\,dt = \dbinom{z}{k}$$

This is rather involved (and would be too involved if I chose to make it rigorous) so pay close attention. Consider firstly a consequence of Ramanujan's master theorem

If $f_1(z)$ and $f_2(z)$ are holomorphic for $\Re(z) > 0$ and if $|f_{12}(x+iy)| < C e^{\tau|y|+\rho|x|}$ for $\tau < \pi$ and $\rho>0$ then

$$f_1 \Big{|}_{\mathbb{N}} = f_2\Big{|}_{\mathbb{N}} \Rightarrow f_1 = f_2$$

So essentially what we are going to do is show this in two steps. Firstly that

$$f_k(z) = \frac{1}{\pi}\int_0^\pi \dfrac{\sin^{z}(t)}{\sin^{k}(\frac{k}{z}t)\sin^{z-k}(\frac{z-k}{z}t)}\,dt$$

is bounded so that Ramanujan's master theorem will prevail and necessarily $f_k(z) = \dbinom{z}{k}$ since $\dbinom{z}{k}$ is equally so bounded.

Taking the function $g(z) = \sup_{t \in [0,\pi]} \Big{|}\dfrac{\sin^{z}(t)}{\sin^{k}(\frac{k}{z}t)\sin^{z-k}(\frac{z-s}{z}t)}\Big{|}$ for $\Re(z) > k$ we can show that this function is properly bounded. For each $t$ we know $\sin(t)^{z}$ is bounded as required as $y \to \infty$ for $\epsilon < t < \pi - \epsilon$; because this is exponentiation with a positive real value base--it is periodic. As $x \to \infty$ it just tends to $0$ so all good there. Now $\sin^{k-z}(\frac{z-s}{z}t)$ is exponentiation of a value which tends to $\sin(t)$. This is a little tricky but

$$\sin^{k}(t - \frac{k}{z}t)$$ is bounded and now all that's left is the troublesome

$$\sin^{-z}(t - \frac{k}{z}t)$$

which clearly grows like $\frac{1}{\sin^{x}(t)}$ as $\Re(z) = x \to \infty$. As $\Im(z) = y\to\infty$ it is not periodic, but it is eventually bounded by $\sin^{-z}(t\pm i\delta)$ though not exactly. This bound is of type $\tau < \pi$. This works for all $t\in [\epsilon,\pi-\epsilon]$ and so as $\epsilon \to 0$ it will follow taking close care to observe the end points tend to $1$ as $t \to 0,\pi$. Therefore $g(z) < Ce^{\tau|y| + \rho|x|}$, $f_k$ is of a Ramanujan bound for $\Re(z) > k$ and necessarily

$$f_k(z) = \frac{1}{\pi}\int_0^\pi \dfrac{\sin^{z}(t)}{\sin^{k}(\frac{k}{z}t)\sin^{z-k}(\frac{z-k}{z}t)}\,dt = \dbinom{z}{k}$$

This is all rather hand waivey because I don't want to take up too much space, the amount of epsilons and deltas is exhausting; plus this is more of an extended comment.

Taking $f_s(z)$ is much trickier. Performing the same procedure in the opposite direction is impossible, this is because $\dbinom{z}{s}$ is not bounded in $s$ in the sense described above. It grows like $\sin(\pi s)$ which isn't subject to Ramanujan's master theorem. I thought I could trick it into working but I've had no luck.

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    It's a good start. – T. Amdeberhan Nov 03 '16 at 00:31
  • @T.Amdeberhan Again, I just did this really fast on paper. I have the quasi more rigorous arguments, but I think this is a few pages. For $s$, the lower argument, I do have a good idea, but it's even longer. And I don't want to over extend my reach at the moment, it's more of a longshot. –  Nov 03 '16 at 00:39
  • The question about interpolating for non integer n and k is another case concerned by http://mathoverflow.net/questions/181943/how-naturally-can-functions-defined-by-parametric-integrals-be-interpolated-from. – Wolfgang Nov 09 '16 at 03:44
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Here is another way to prove it. Surprisingly, for $n$ integral and $k$ real, the integral in question can be written down as an indefinite integral. This gives a direct proof for non-integer $k$, though obviously less clear than the contour method. (In fact, it is convenient to avoid integer $k$ in this method, and extend to integer $k$ by continuity.)

Writing $y=x/n$ and $l=n-k$, we have for example for $n=2$: $$\int\frac{\sin^2(2y)}{\sin^k(ky)\sin^l(ly)}dy= \frac{\frac{2}{l-k}\sin((l-k)y)+\sin(2y)} {kl\sin^{k-1}(ky)\sin^{l-1}(ly)}$$

In general for $n$ even ($n$ odd is similar with cosines): $$I_{n,k}(y)=\int\frac{\sin^n(ny)}{\sin^k(ky)\sin^l(ly)}dy= \frac{\sum_{r=0}^{n-1}\sum_{s=0}^{n-1}\lambda_{r,s}\sin(((n-1-2r)k+(n-1-2s)l)y)} {kl\sin^{k-1}(ky)\sin^{l-1}(ly)}$$

where $$\lambda_{r,s}=\begin{cases} \displaystyle \frac{(-1)^r(n-1)^{\underline{r}}}{(r-l)^{\underline{\smash{r-s}}}s!}\lambda_{0,0},\;\;r\ge s\\ \displaystyle \frac{(-1)^s(n-1)^{\underline{s}}}{(s-k)^{\underline{\smash{s-r}}}r!}\lambda_{0,0},\;\;s\ge r \end{cases} $$ $$\lambda_{0,0}=(-1)^{n/2+1}2^{1-n},$$ and $x^{\underline{r}}$ denotes the falling power $x(x-1)\ldots(x-r+1)$.

It is easy to check the derivative, $I_{n,k}'(y)$ is correct by considering the coefficient of $\cos((ak+bl)y)/(\sin^k(ky)\sin^l(ly))$ for each $a$, $b$. If $a\neq b$ then you get zero, otherwise for $a=b=n-2r$, $(ak+bl)y=(n-2r)ny$ and you get $\frac{1}{2}(-1)^r\binom{n}{r}\lambda_{0,0}\cos((n-2r)ny)$. Then $\sin^n(ny)$ arises from the binomial expansion: $$(-1)^{n/2}2^{-n}\sum_{r=0}^n (-1)^r\binom{n}{r}\cos((n-2r)ny)=\sin^n(ny).$$

Note that $I_{n,k}(0)=0$ because, being the integral of something well-behaved at $0$, $I_{n,k}(y)$ must be continuous at $0$, so its numerator must vanish to order $n-2$ like its denominator. Using L'H\^{o}pital, taking $n-2$ derivatives of the numerator gives only sines, which themselves vanish at 0. To evaluate $I_{n,k}(\pi/n)$, note that $\sin(k\pi/n)=\sin(l\pi/n)$ and $\sin(((n-1-2r)k+(n-1-2s)l)y)=\sin(2(r-s)k\pi/n)$. Conditioning on $r-s=d>0$, you get (e.g., by considering partial fractions in $k$) $$\sum_{s=0}^{n-1-d}\lambda_{s+d,s}= \frac{(-1)^d(n-1)!\binom{n-2}{d-1}}{(k-1)^{\underline{\smash{n-1}}}}\lambda_{0,0},$$ and similarly for $d<0$ with the opposite sign, and using $-d$ in place of $d$. Using the binomial expansion of $(1-e^{2\pi ik/n})^{n-2}$, you get $$\sum_{d=1}^{n-1}(-1)^d\binom{n-2}{d-1}\sin\left(\frac{2dk\pi}{n}\right)= (-1)^{n/2}2^{n-2}\sin^{n-2}\left(\frac{k\pi}{n}\right)\sin(k\pi)$$ So finally, putting the pieces together, $$\frac{n}{\pi}I_{n,k}\left(\frac{\pi}{n}\right)=\frac{n\sum_{r=0}^{n-1}\sum_{s=0}^{n-1}\lambda_{r,s}\sin\left(\frac{2(r-s)k\pi}{n}\right)} {\pi kl\sin^{k-1}\left(\frac{k\pi}{n}\right)\sin^{l-1}\left(\frac{l\pi}{n}\right)}=\frac{n!\sin(k\pi)}{\pi k^{\underline{\smash{n+1}}}}$$ which (for even $n$) we recognise as $\binom{n}{k}$ by the reflection formula for factorials.

Alex Selby
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(not an answer)

I've found a way to convert the integral evaluation to a binomial sum identity. Incidentally, this gives the details leading up to the follow-up question here.

I have highlighted (in bold) where we need some potential rigor to make this argument complete.

Let $\zeta=e^{\pmb{i}x/n}, \pmb{i}=\sqrt{-1}$. Equation (1) becomes an integral along an arc on the unit circle $$\frac{n}{\pmb{i}\pi}\int_1^{e^{\pmb{i}\pi/n}}\frac{(\zeta^n-\zeta^{-n})^n} {(\zeta^k-\zeta^{-k})^k(\zeta^{n-k}-\zeta^{-(n-k)})^{n-k}}\frac{d\zeta}{\zeta}=\binom{n}k. \tag3$$ Define the rational complex functions (with a pole at the origin) $f_m(z)=(z^m-z^{-m})^m$ and $$F_{n,k}(z)= \frac{f_n(z)}{f_k(z)f_{n-k}(z)}=\frac{(1-z^{2n})^nz^{-2k(n-k)}}{(1-z^{2k})^k(1-z^{2n-2k})^{n-k}} =\frac{(1-z^{2n})^n}{(1-z^{2k})^k(z^{2k}-z^{2n})^{n-k}}.$$ To verify (3), compute a contour integral around the unit circle $\mathcal{C}$ (oriented positively) $$\frac{n}{\pmb{i}\pi}\int_1^{e^{\pmb{i}\pi/n}}F_{n,k}(z)\frac{dz}z= \pmb{\frac{2n}{2\pmb{i}\pi}\int_1^{e^{\pmb{i}\pi/n}}F_{n,k}(z)\frac{dz}z= \frac1{2\pmb{i}\pi}\int_{\mathcal{C}}F_{n,k}(z)\frac{dz}z}=\text{Res}(F_{n,k}(z);0).$$ This is equivalent to determining the constant term in $F_{n,k}(z)$, which in turn reduces to the identity $$\sum (-1)^a\binom{n}a\binom{k+b-1}b\binom{n-k+c-1}c=\binom{n}k\tag4$$ where the sum runs through $a,b,c\geq0$ such that $(a+c)n+(b-c)k=k(n-k)$.

It remains to prove (4).

T. Amdeberhan
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  • This looks like the direction that motivated this: http://mathoverflow.net/questions/253835/a-sum-with-binomial-coefficients/253946#253946 – Suvrit Nov 05 '16 at 01:08
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    $F_{n,k}(z)$ doesn't have the symmetry you need to extend the integral from the arc to the full unit circle. (In fact, it has singularities on the unit circle.) – Alex Selby Nov 05 '16 at 02:00
  • True. But, you may avoid singularities by small half-circles "bumps." – T. Amdeberhan Nov 05 '16 at 02:04
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    You can do that, but you haven't explained (or I haven't understood) why $2n$ times the integral along the arc is equal to the integral around the circle (deformed or otherwise). – Alex Selby Nov 05 '16 at 02:15