Fractional Factorial!

Calculus Level 3

We know that 2 ! = 2 2! = 2 and 3 ! = 6 3 ! = 6 .

Find the value of ( 2.5 ) ! (2.5)! to 3 decimal places.


The answer is 3.323.

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4 solutions

Discussions for this problem are now closed

Mehul Chaturvedi
Jan 9, 2015

I tried my best to upload an easy and elegant solution

For Help about Gamma function click here

Its easy first of all

n ! = n × ( n 1 ) ! \Rightarrow n!=n\times (n-1)!

Γ n = ( n 1 ) ! \Rightarrow \Gamma n=(n-1)!

n ! = n Γ n Γ ( 5 2 ) = Γ ( 1 + 3 2 ) \Rightarrow n!=n\Gamma n \\ \Rightarrow \Gamma(\dfrac{5}{2})=\Gamma(1+\dfrac{3}{2})

\Rightarrow \therefore as we know Γ ( 1 + n ) = n Γ ( n ) \Gamma (1+n)=n\Gamma (n)

Γ ( 1 + 3 2 ) = 3 2 Γ ( 3 2 ) \Rightarrow \Gamma(1+\dfrac{3}{2})=\dfrac{3}{2} \Gamma(\dfrac{3}{2})

Similarly Γ ( 3 2 ) = Γ ( 1 + 1 2 ) \Rightarrow \Gamma(\dfrac{3}{2})=\Gamma(1+\dfrac{1}{2})

Γ ( 3 2 ) = 1 2 Γ ( 1 2 ) \Rightarrow \therefore \Gamma(\dfrac{3}{2})=\dfrac{1}{2}\Gamma(\dfrac{1}{2})

and we know Γ ( 1 2 ) = π \Rightarrow \Gamma(\dfrac{1}{2})=\sqrt{\pi}

so Γ ( 3 2 ) = 1 2 π = 0.8864 \Rightarrow \Gamma(\dfrac{3}{2})=\dfrac{1}{2}\sqrt{\pi}=0.8864

Γ ( 5 2 ) = 3 2 Γ ( 3 2 ) = 1.329 \Rightarrow \therefore \Gamma(\dfrac{5}{2})=\dfrac{3}{2} \Gamma(\dfrac{3}{2}) \\ =1.329

5 2 ! = 5 2 1.329 \Rightarrow \therefore \dfrac{5}{2}!=\dfrac{5}{2}\cdot 1.329

the answer is 3.323 \Rightarrow \huge\color{royalblue}{\boxed{3.323}}

Exactly how I did it :)

Jake Lai - 6 years, 5 months ago

Yeah inspired by @Chew-Seong Cheong

Mehul Chaturvedi - 6 years, 5 months ago

I think a factorial operation can only be done on a positive INTEGER

Bhola Moira - 6 years, 5 months ago

Technically, yes; however, for non-natural arguments (ie not 0, 1, 2, 3, etc), s ! s! is conventionally taken as Γ ( s + 1 ) \Gamma(s+1) .

Jake Lai - 6 years, 5 months ago
Nathanael Case
Feb 7, 2015

n ! = 0 x n e x d x n!=\int\limits_0^∞ x^ne^{-x} dx

2.5 ! = 0 x 2.5 e x d x 2.5!=\int\limits_0^∞ x^{2.5}e^{-x} dx

Lu Chee Ket
Jan 29, 2015

Applied calculator. I apologize for wanting convenience. Gamma (3.5) = 15 Sqrt (Pi)/ 8 = 3.323

Anna Anant
Jan 15, 2015

2.5!=Γ(3.5) 2.5!=2.5⋅Γ(2.5) 2.5!=2.5⋅1.5⋅Γ(1.5) 2.5!=2.5⋅1.5⋅.5⋅Γ(.5) 2.5!=2.5⋅1.5⋅.5⋅ √π 2.5!=3.323

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