Inspired by Jake Lai

Calculus Level 5

P = p odd prime p 4 + 1 p 4 1 P=\prod_{p \text{ odd prime}}\frac{p^4+1}{p^4-1}

Write P = a b P=\dfrac{a}{b} , where a a and b b are coprime positive integers, and enter a + b a+b .


Inspiration .


The answer is 69.

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1 solution

Isaac Buckley
Jan 4, 2016

If we first consider the product over all primes (call it Q Q ) then we have by using the Euler product:

Q = Primes p 4 + 1 p 4 1 = Primes 1 + 1 p 4 1 1 p 4 = Primes 1 1 p 8 ( 1 1 p 4 ) 2 = ζ ( 4 ) 2 ζ ( 8 ) \large Q=\prod_{\text{Primes}} \frac{p^4+1}{p^4-1}=\prod_{\text{Primes}} \frac{1+\frac{1}{p^4}}{1-\frac{1}{p^4}}=\prod_{\text{Primes}} \frac{1-\frac{1}{p^8}}{\left(1-\frac{1}{p^4}\right)^2}=\frac{\zeta(4)^2}{\zeta(8)}

You can work out the exact values of ζ ( 2 n ) \zeta(2n) for all non-negative integers n n with the Bernoulli numbers.

I have the first few values memorised and it comes out as Q = ( π 4 90 ) 2 π 8 9450 = 7 6 \large Q=\frac{\left(\frac{\pi^4}{90}\right)^2}{\frac{\pi^8}{9450}}=\frac{7}{6} .

It's easy enough to see that Q = 2 4 + 1 2 4 1 P \large Q=\frac{2^4+1}{2^4-1} P since 2 is the only even prime.

We simplify and get P = 35 34 \large P=\frac{35}{34} .

Even I did the same way. The problem is how do we prove the value of zeta(8)?

Aditya Kumar - 5 years, 5 months ago

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Would you mind explaining in more detail how this problem leads us to a proof for the value of ζ ( 8 ) \zeta(8) ?

Isaac Buckley - 5 years, 5 months ago

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The value of zeta(8) can be obtained from internet. But how do we find it? Is there a method of obtaining the value of zeta(8)?

Aditya Kumar - 5 years, 5 months ago

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@Aditya Kumar Oh I misread what you wrote, I thought you were suggesting this problem is how we can find ζ ( 8 ) \zeta(8) .

Yes, like I said in my solution above, we can calculate ζ ( 2 n ) \zeta(2n) via the Bernoulli numbers. ζ ( 2 n ) = ( 1 ) n + 1 B 2 n ( 2 π ) 2 n 2 ( 2 n ) ! \zeta(2n)=\frac{(-1)^{n+1}B_{2n}(2\pi)^{2n}}{2(2n)!}

We can more or less easily calculate B 8 B_8 and thus find ζ ( 8 ) \zeta(8) .

Isaac Buckley - 5 years, 5 months ago

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@Isaac Buckley A (relatively) easy way to find ζ ( 2 n ) \zeta(2n) is as the coefficients of the Taylor series of π x 2 cot ( π x ) -\frac{\pi x}{2}\cot(\pi x)

Otto Bretscher - 5 years, 5 months ago

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@Otto Bretscher This is new to me, now I'm gonna have to figure out why this is the case.

Cheers Otto!

Isaac Buckley - 5 years, 5 months ago

@Otto Bretscher I didn't know about this. Thanks.

Aditya Kumar - 5 years, 5 months ago

@Otto Bretscher Is there a reason why this works? Can't be a strange coincidence right?

Pi Han Goh - 5 years, 5 months ago

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@Pi Han Goh You see the connection if you meditate over n = 1 k = 1 z 2 k n 2 k \sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\sum_{k=1}^{\infty}\frac{z^{2k}}{n^{2k}} , Comrade!

Otto Bretscher - 5 years, 5 months ago

yes, exactly... very clear and straightforward! (+1)

Otto Bretscher - 5 years, 5 months ago

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