Pascal-ish Triangle

Calculus Level 3

Let S n = 1 1 n + 1 + 1 2 2 n + 1 + 1 2 + 1 3 3 n + S_n=\dfrac{1}{1^n}+\dfrac{1+\frac{1}{2}}{2^n}+\dfrac{1+\frac{1}{2}+\frac{1}{3}}{3^n}+\cdots .

Then, for positive even numbers m m , there is a beautiful relationship between S m S_{m} and the Riemann zeta function ζ ( ) \zeta(\cdot) : S 2 = 2 ζ ( 3 ) S 4 = 3 ζ ( 5 ) ζ ( 2 ) ζ ( 3 ) S 6 = 4 ζ ( 7 ) ζ ( 2 ) ζ ( 5 ) ζ ( 3 ) ζ ( 4 ) S 8 = 5 ζ ( 9 ) ζ ( 2 ) ζ ( 7 ) ζ ( 3 ) ζ ( 6 ) ζ ( 4 ) ζ ( 5 ) S m = m + 2 2 ζ ( m + 1 ) k = 2 m 2 ζ ( k ) ζ ( m k ) . \begin{array} { l r c } S_2 &=& 2\zeta(3) \\ S_4 &=& {3\zeta(5)} \quad {-\zeta(2)\zeta(3)} \\ S_6 &=& {4\zeta(7)}\quad {-\zeta(2)\zeta(5)} \quad {-\zeta(3)\zeta(4)} \\ S_8 &=& {5\zeta(9)}\quad {-\zeta(2)\zeta(7)} \quad {-\zeta(3)\zeta(6)} \quad {-\zeta(4)\zeta(5)} \\ & \vdots & \\ S_{m} &=& \displaystyle \frac{m+2}2 \zeta(m+1) - \sum_{k=2}^{\frac m2} \zeta(k) \zeta(m-k). \end{array} However, there is also a relationship between positive odd numbers m m and the Riemann zeta function. Find this relationship and submit your answer as π 4 S 3 . \dfrac{\pi^4}{S_3}.


Bonus: Prove the pattern shown above.


The answer is 72.

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1 solution

Mark Hennings
Feb 25, 2018

We are considering the standard Euler sum σ h ( 1 , n ) = k = 1 H k ( k + 1 ) n \sigma_h(1,n) \; = \; \sum_{k=1}^\infty H_k (k+1)^{-n} for n 2 n \ge 2 , so that S n = k = 1 H k k n = σ h ( 1 , n ) + ζ ( n + 1 ) S_n \; = \; \sum_{k=1}^\infty H_k k^{-n} \; = \; \sigma_h(1,n) + \zeta(n+1) Now the standard Euler sum is σ h ( 1 , n ) = 1 2 n ζ ( n + 1 ) 1 2 k = 1 n 2 ζ ( n k ) ζ ( k + 1 ) \sigma_h(1,n) \; = \; \tfrac12n\zeta(n+1) - \tfrac12\sum_{k=1}^{n-2} \zeta(n-k)\zeta(k+1) and so S n = 1 2 ( n + 2 ) ζ ( n + 1 ) 1 2 k = 1 n 2 ζ ( n k ) ζ ( k + 1 ) S_n \; = \; \tfrac12(n+2)\zeta(n+1) - \tfrac12\sum_{k=1}^{n-2} \zeta(n-k)\zeta(k+1) In particular, S 3 = 5 2 ζ ( 4 ) 1 2 ζ ( 2 ) 2 = 1 36 π 4 1 72 π 4 = 1 72 π 4 S_3 \; = \; \tfrac52\zeta(4) - \tfrac12\zeta(2)^2 \; = \; \tfrac{1}{36}\pi^4 - \tfrac{1}{72}\pi^4 \; = \; \tfrac{1}{72}\pi^4 making the answer 72 \boxed{72} .

Please give the proofs involved

diwakar kumar - 3 years, 3 months ago

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This paper gives the details of a contour integration method for these Euler sums and many more besides...

Mark Hennings - 3 years, 3 months ago

There's a typo at the last formula, should be π^4/36 not π^2. Thanks.

Pau Cantos - 3 years, 3 months ago

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Thanks for spotting the typo...

Mark Hennings - 3 years, 3 months ago

Isn't it possible to get even or odd fórmula just messing around with geometric series, indexes and algebra?

Thomas Peet - 3 years, 3 months ago

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You might like to look here . The original proof of the formula for σ h ( 1 , n ) \sigma_h(1,n) was done by Euler, and his method was more algebraic.

Mark Hennings - 3 years, 3 months ago

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