Let's do some calculus! (54)

Calculus Level 5

lim n 0 n ! n \large \lim_{n \to 0} \sqrt[n]{n!}

Find the limit above to 2 decimal places.

Note: Assume that the factorial notation is not restricted solely to positive integers but the general analytic continuation over complex numbers (Gamma function).


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The answer is 0.56.

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1 solution

Md Zuhair
Apr 2, 2018

We can see the limit is of the form 1 1^{\infty} .

lim n 0 n ! n \displaystyle{\implies \lim_{n \rightarrow 0} \sqrt[n]{n!}}

lim n 0 Γ ( n + 1 ) n \displaystyle{\implies \lim_{n \rightarrow 0} \sqrt[n]{\Gamma({n+1})}}

As it is 1 1^{\infty} form , we apply,

e lim n 0 Γ ( n + 1 ) 1 n \displaystyle{\implies e^{\displaystyle{\lim_{n \rightarrow 0} \dfrac{\Gamma({n+1})-1}{n}}}}

Now we can see the power is of the form 0 0 \dfrac{0}{0} , So we can Apply L'Hospital's rule ,

e lim n 0 ( Γ ( n + 1 ) ) \implies e^{\displaystyle{\lim_{n \rightarrow 0} (\Gamma'({n+1}))}}

Now we know Γ ( 1 ) = γ \Gamma'(1)= - \gamma where γ \gamma is Euler Mascheroni Const.

So we get Limit = e γ 0.561 \boxed{e^{-\gamma}} \approx 0.561


Derivation of Γ ( 1 ) = γ \Gamma'(1)= -\gamma .


To evaluate Γ ( 1 ) {\Gamma}^{'} (1) , we set n = 1 n=1 thus 0 e t l n ( t ) d t . \int _{ 0 }^{ \infty }{ { e }^{ -t }ln\left(t\right)} dt .

We replace e t {e}^{-t} with lim n ( 1 t n ) n . \lim _{ n\rightarrow \infty }{ \left(1-\frac{t}{n} \right)^{n} } .

Let s = 1 t n s = 1 - \frac{t}{n} and n d s = d t , -nds = dt, we get lim n [ 1 0 s n [ l n ( n ) + l n ( 1 s ) ] ( n ) d s ] = lim n [ n l n ( n ) 0 1 s n d s + 0 1 s n l n ( 1 s ) d s ] = lim n [ n n + 1 l n ( n ) + 1 n + 1 0 1 s n + 1 1 s 1 d s ] = lim n n n + 1 [ l n ( n ) H n + 1 ] . \begin{aligned} \lim _{ n\rightarrow \infty }{ \left[ \int _{ 1}^{ 0}{ { s }^{ n } } \left[ ln(n)+ln(1-s) \right] (-n)ds \right] } \\ &= \lim _{ n\rightarrow \infty }{ \left[ nln(n)\int _{ 0 }^{ 1 }{ { s }^{ n } } ds+\int _{ 0 }^{ 1 }{ { s }^{ n } } ln(1-s)ds \right] } \\ &=\lim _{ n\rightarrow \infty }{ \left[ \frac { n }{ n+1 } ln(n)+\frac { -1 }{ n+1 } \int _{ 0 }^{ 1 }{ \frac { { s }^{ n+1 }-1 }{ s-1 } } ds \right] } \\ &=\lim _{ n\rightarrow \infty }{\frac { n }{ n+1 } \left[ ln(n)-{ H }_{ n+1 } \right]} . \end{aligned} H n + 1 {H}_{n+1} is the harmonic number. By definition lim n [ H n + 1 l n ( n ) ] \lim_{n\rightarrow \infty}{\left[{ H }_{ n+1 } -ln(n)\right]} is the Euler-Mascheroni constant; therefore Γ ( 1 ) = γ {\Gamma}^{'} (1) = -\gamma .

Great solution but shouldn't it be

lim n 0 Γ ( n + 1 ) n \displaystyle \lim_{n \to 0} \sqrt[n]{\Gamma(n+1)}

exp lim n 0 ln ( Γ ( n + 1 ) ) n \implies \exp{\displaystyle \lim_{n \to 0} \dfrac{\ln( \Gamma(n+1))}{n}}

exp lim n 0 d d n { ln ( Γ ( n + 1 ) ) } \implies \exp{\displaystyle \lim_{n \to 0} \dfrac{d}{dn} \{\ln( \Gamma(n+1))\}}

exp lim n 0 ψ ( n + 1 ) \implies \exp{\displaystyle \lim_{n \to 0} \psi(n+1)}

Actually ψ ( 1 ) = γ \psi(1) = - \gamma should be a more proper notation for the steps above. However the result is still true as ψ ( 1 ) = Γ ( 1 ) Γ ( 1 ) = Γ ( 1 ) = γ \psi(1) = \dfrac{\Gamma'(1)}{\Gamma(1)} = \Gamma'(1) = - \gamma .

Otherwise very good solution! Your concepts are very clear with Gamma functions I see.

Tapas Mazumdar - 3 years, 2 months ago

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Sab apka hi diya hua hai :P . Apne hi toh sikhaye :-P . But that

See

If we get 1 1^{\infty} we use

lim x a f ( x ) g ( x ) \displaystyle{\lim_{x \rightarrow a} f(x)^{g(x)}} where f(a)=1 and g(a)= \infty .

So we use

e lim x a f ( x ) 1 g ( x ) \displaystyle {e^{ \displaystyle{\lim_{x \rightarrow a} \dfrac{f(x)-1}{g(x)}}}} .

Isnt it:?

Md Zuhair - 3 years, 2 months ago

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Can you justify step-wise how that result comes? I've never used such result before. What I do is simply take the logarithm and exponential together as f g = exp ( ln f g ) = exp ( g ln ( f ) ) f^g = \exp(\ln f^g) = \exp(g \ln(f)) and solve from there.

Tapas Mazumdar - 3 years, 2 months ago

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@Tapas Mazumdar Sorry, But I dont have my computer now to write the latex. :P . I used up all the charges ... So you can see this..

https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/1987215/1-to-the-power-of-infinity-formula

Md Zuhair - 3 years, 2 months ago

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@Md Zuhair Thanks. I learnt something new too. :)

Tapas Mazumdar - 3 years, 2 months ago

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@Tapas Mazumdar :D . Never mind. You are quite strong at calculus!

Md Zuhair - 3 years, 2 months ago

@Tapas Mazumdar Remember you taught me Gamma function? After JEE, when you restart Whatsapp, Please just ping me :D.

Md Zuhair - 3 years, 2 months ago

I have seen that exact solution in one the mathematical magazine (exactly I don't remember now as it was 2/3 months before.) for that question where there were some more solutions too.

Naren Bhandari - 3 years, 2 months ago

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Wow! I dont know actually! I solved it all by myself, Actually, my method is quite a common one, So it should be the first one that was used by the magazine as its the easiest!

Md Zuhair - 3 years, 2 months ago

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