Is it safe to generalise?

Calculus Level 3

Somebody observed that the equation ( 2 n + 1 ) ! ! 0 1 t n + 1 sin ( t ) sin ( t / 3 ) sin ( t / 5 ) . . . sin ( t / ( 2 n + 1 ) ) d t = π 2 (2n+1)!! \int_{0}^{\infty}\frac{1}{t^{n+1}}\sin(t) \sin(t/3) \sin(t/5) ...\sin(t/(2n+1)) dt=\frac{\pi}{2} holds for n = 0 , 1 , 2 , 3 n=0,1,2,3 , where m ! ! m!! represents the double factorial. Does it hold for all positive integers n n ? If so, enter 666; otherwise enter the smallest positive integer n n for which the equation fails.

Bonus: What happens if you replace 2 n + 1 2n+1 by 100 n + 1 100n+1 and ( 2 n + 1 ) ! ! (2n+1)!! by k = 1 n ( 100 k + 1 ) \prod_{k=1}^{n} (100k+1) ?


The answer is 7.

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3 solutions

Mark Hennings
Nov 4, 2018

Look here for a detailed analysis of these so-called Borwein integrals.

As for the bonus question, we are interested in knowing when the identity 0 k = 0 n s i n c ( x 100 k + 1 ) d x = 1 2 π \int_0^\infty \prod_{k=0}^n \mathrm{sinc}\big(\tfrac{x}{100k+1}\big)\,dx \; =\; \tfrac12\pi stops holding. Generalising the work in the given link, this integral is equal to 1 2 π 1 1 ( f 101 f 201 f 100 n + 1 ) ( x ) d x \tfrac12\pi\int_{-1}^1 \big(f_{101} \star f_{201} \star \cdots \star f_{100n+1}\big)(x)\,dx and this will be equal to 1 2 π \tfrac12\pi so long as D n < 1 D_n < 1 , where D n = k = 1 n 1 100 k + 1 D_n \; = \; \sum_{k=1}^n \frac{1}{100k+1} This is because the support of the convolution f 101 f 201 f 100 n + 1 f_{101} \star f_{201} \star \cdots \star f_{100n+1} is [ D n , D n ] [-D_n,D_n] . Using the estimates 1 n + 1 d x 100 x + 1 D n 0 n d x 100 x + 1 \int_1^{n+1}\frac{dx}{100x+1} \; \le \; D_n \; \le \; \int_0^n \frac{dx}{100x+1} we deduce that D n D_n approximates 1 1 in the range 2.7 × 1 0 41 = 1 100 ( e 100 1 ) n 101 100 ( e 100 1 ) = 2.7 × 1 0 43 2.7 \times10^{41} = \tfrac{1}{100}\big(e^{100}-1\big) \; \le \; n \; \le \; \tfrac{101}{100}\big(e^{100}-1\big) = 2.7 \times 10^{43} Evaluating D n D_n exactly in terms of the polygamma function, Mathematica tells me that the witching value of n n is in the order of 1.53412 × 1 0 43 1.53412 \times 10^{43} .

Yes, exactly (well, almost: I believe the threshold is around 1.5 × 1 0 43 1.5\times 10^{43} , somewhere between e 99 e^{99} and e 100 ) e^{100}) . Somebody with a lot (too much?) time on their hands figured out that the equation fails for n 15 , 341 , 178 , 777 , 673 , 149 , 429 , 167 , 740 , 440 , 969 , 249 , 338 , 310 , 889 n≥ 15,341,178,777,673,149,429,167,740,440,969,249,338,310,889 .

Otto Bretscher - 2 years, 7 months ago

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Typo in the index! Otherwise, we agree to 6 decimal places. Since we have D n = 1 100 [ ψ ( n + 101 100 ) ψ ( 101 100 ) ] D_n \; = \; \tfrac{1}{100} \left[ \psi\left(n + \tfrac{101}{100}\right) - \psi\left(\tfrac{101}{100}\right)\right] we have a precise formula to determine the precise value of n n where things go pear-shaped. After that, it is a matter of mere computation.

Mark Hennings - 2 years, 7 months ago
Otto Bretscher
Nov 5, 2018

Here is a good article on the Borwein integrals with lots of graphs that make it easier (and more fun) to understand what is going on, at least for me.

Aaghaz Mahajan
Nov 4, 2018

@Otto Bretscher Sir, I know that you already know this, but still, it is worth mentioning the person who discovered these amazing patterns!!! That somebody was Borwein.......

Yes, indeed, but I did not want to mention this since otherwise people will just look it up ;)

Otto Bretscher - 2 years, 7 months ago

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True!!! :)

Aaghaz Mahajan - 2 years, 7 months ago

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It wasn't just "that somebody," it was a father and son team.

Otto Bretscher - 2 years, 7 months ago

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@Otto Bretscher ...and they submitted the n = 7 n=7 integral to the Maple developers as a "bug", or so the story goes...

Mark Hennings - 2 years, 7 months ago

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