For adjacent letters , pair entries in the same column and leave those pairs fixed. In each row, interchange the numbers of unpaired and entries, preserving their weak order. Strict columns are preserved: a letter that could obstruct a change from to , or conversely, would already have been paired. Applying the operation twice restores the tableau. The paired letters contribute equal amounts to the two contents, so the involution swaps their total multiplicities.
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The Bender–Knuth involution is a combinatorial technique used in the enumeration of certain types of objects, specifically in the context of permutations and their associated structures. The technique was introduced by Edward A. Bender and Donald M. Knuth in the study of permutations with specific constraints, particularly permutations that can be represented with certain kinds of diagrams or structures.