Contiguous relations and summation and transformation formulas for basic hypergeometric series

Abstract: By using contiguous relations for basic hypergeometric series, we give simple proofs of Bailey's $4\phi_3$ summation, Carlitz's $_5\phi_4$ summation, Sears' $_3\phi_2$ to $_5\phi_4$ transformation, Sears' ${}_4\phi_3$ transformations, Chen's bibasic summation, Gasper's split poised ${10}\phi_9$ transformation, Chu's bibasic symmetric transformation. Along the same line, finite forms of Sylvester's identity, Jacobi's triple product identity, and Kang's identity are also obtained.