A q-summation formula, the continuous q-Hahn polynomials and the big q-Jacobi polynomials

Using a general q-summation formula, we derive a generating function for the q-Hahn polynomials, which is used to give a complete proof of the orthogonality relation for the continuous q-Hahn polynomials. A new proof of the orthogonality relation for the big q-Jacobi polynomials is also given. A simple evaluation of the Nassrallah–Rahman integral is derived by using this summation formula. A new q-beta integral formula is established, which includes the Nassrallah–Rahman integral as a special case. The q-summation formula also allows us to recover several strange q-series identities.