The three-point density correlation of an ideal quantum gas follows first for a number-conserving Gaussian quantum state. There are six pairings, one for each permutation of three annihilation operators. The identity gives the product of densities; each transposition has sign ; both three-cycles have positive sign. Thus
The last two terms are complex conjugates. They equal , not an additional signed pair term. This is the permanent of a matrix for bosons and its determinant for fermions. Wick's theorem supplies the six terms only with the state assumption stated in part (a).
For completeness an exact bosonic Fock-state alternative can be given without that assumption. Let be a mode-occupation decrement with . Define as the sum of over all distinct ordered triples having these mode multiplicities. Acting three annihilation fields on the number state leaves mutually orthogonal states for different . Therefore
Here , with zero when . This expression includes repeated-mode occupation corrections absent from the Gaussian permanent; for a single mode it reduces to .