A well-known theorem in group theory [(8), p. 11, Satz 3] asserts that, when H is a subgroup of finite index in a group G, there exists a system of common representatives of the right cosets and the left cosets of H in G. Various proofs and generalisations, mainly involving combinatorial rather than grouptheoretical ideas, are known, and an excellent account of the subject is to be found in Chapter 5 of Ryser's book (6), where references to the literature are given. The purpose of the present paper is to use group-theoretical ideas to prove theorems of a similar nature. The motivation for this work comes from the theory of Hecke operators, and one of the main objects is to provide a simple proof of a result given by Petersson (4), which is needed in order to prove the normality of these operators.

In (7), Wright gives an enumerative proof of an identity algebraically equivalent to that of Jacobi, namely

Here, and in the sequel, products run from 1 to oo and sums from - oo to oo unless otherwise indicated. We give here a simplified version of his argument by working directly with (1), the substitution leading to equation (3) of his paper being omitted. We then supply an alternative proof of (1) by means of a generalisation of the Durfee square concept utilising the rectangle of dimensions v by v + r for fixed r and maximal v contained in the Ferrers graph of a partition.

Consider the dual equations

where