Product of greatest common divisor

Number Theory Level pending

Find the closed form of the infinite product n = 1 gcd ( d n , n ) ( n k ) \prod_{n=1}^\infty \gcd( d^n, n)^{\left(n^{-k}\right)}

where k k is an integer greater than 1, d d is a prime number.

Evaluate this closed form when k = d = 2 k=d=2 and submit your answer to 3 significant figures.

Notation: gcd ( ) \gcd(\cdot) denotes the greatest common divisor function.


The answer is 1.46.

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1 solution

Chris Lewis
May 10, 2021

Let n = x 2 y n=x 2^y , where x x is odd. Then gcd ( 2 n , n ) = 2 y \gcd\left(2^n,n \right)=2^y

Then the product we need is P = n = 1 gcd ( 2 n , n ) ( n 2 ) = n = 1 ( 2 y ) ( n 2 ) = n = 1 2 y n 2 = n = 1 2 y x 2 4 y = x odd [ y = 0 2 y x 2 4 y ] = y = 0 [ x odd 2 y x 2 4 y ] = y = 0 [ x odd 2 1 x 2 ] y 4 y \begin{aligned} P&=\prod_{n=1}^\infty \gcd\left(2^n,n \right)^{\left(n^{-2}\right)} \\ &=\prod_{n=1}^\infty \left(2^y \right)^{\left(n^{-2}\right)} \\ &=\prod_{n=1}^\infty 2^\frac{y}{n^2} \\ &=\prod_{n=1}^\infty 2^\frac{y}{x^2 4^y} \\ &=\prod_{x \text{ odd}} \left[\prod_{y=0}^\infty 2^\frac{y}{x^2 4^y} \right] \\ &=\prod_{y=0}^\infty \left[\prod_{x \text{ odd}} 2^\frac{y}{x^2 4^y} \right] \\ &=\prod_{y=0}^\infty \left[\prod_{x \text{ odd}} 2^\frac{1}{x^2} \right]^\frac{y}{4^y} \end{aligned}

(where some assumptions about convergence have been made). The bracketed quantity can be calculated as follows: x odd 2 1 x 2 = 2 x odd 1 x 2 = 2 π 2 8 \prod_{x \text{ odd}} 2^\frac{1}{x^2} = 2^{\sum_{x \text{ odd}} \frac{1}{x^2}} = 2^\frac{\pi^2}{8}

(using the fact the sum of the reciprocals of the odd squares is π 2 8 \frac{\pi^2}{8} , which follows directly from ζ ( 2 ) = π 2 6 \zeta(2)=\frac{\pi^2}{6} ). So now P = y = 0 [ 2 π 2 8 ] y 4 y log P = log [ 2 π 2 8 ] y = 0 y 4 y = 4 9 log [ 2 π 2 8 ] \begin{aligned} P&=\prod_{y=0}^\infty \left[2^\frac{\pi^2}{8}\right]^\frac{y}{4^y} \\ \log P &= \log \left[2^\frac{\pi^2}{8}\right] \sum_{y=0}^\infty \frac{y}{4^y} \\ &=\frac49 \log \left[2^\frac{\pi^2}{8}\right] \end{aligned}

so finally P = [ 2 π 2 8 ] 4 9 = 2 π 2 18 1.46 P=\left[2^\frac{\pi^2}{8}\right]^\frac49=2^\frac{\pi^2}{18} \approx \boxed{1.46}

This seems to disagree slightly with the given answer, though.

I got the same answer, in roughly the same way: the product is 2 x , 2^x, where x = n = 1 ν 2 ( n ) n 2 , x = \sum\limits_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{\nu_2(n)}{n^2}, which can be computed by an Euler product: x = ( 1 2 2 + 2 2 4 + 3 2 6 + ) ( 1 + 1 3 2 + 1 3 4 + ) ( 1 + 1 5 2 + 1 5 4 + ) ( ) = 4 9 n odd 1 n 2 = π 2 18 . \begin{aligned} x &= \left( \frac1{2^2} + \frac2{2^4} + \frac3{2^6} + \cdots \right) \left( 1 + \frac1{3^2} + \frac1{3^4} + \cdots \right) \left( 1 + \frac1{5^2} + \frac1{5^4} + \cdots \right) \left( \cdots \right) \\ &= \frac49 \sum_{n \text{ odd}} \frac1{n^2} \\ &= \frac{\pi^2}{18}. \end{aligned}

Patrick Corn - 1 month ago

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Thanks - I've checked it numerically too and it seems to be the right value.

Chris Lewis - 1 month ago

That is correct, i typed in the solution incorrectly, how do i edit this?

Hugo Arb - 1 month ago

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Thanks. I've updated the answer to reflect this. Those who previously answered 1.46 has been marked correct.

You currently can't modify the answer. Please wait for a staff (like me) to respond. You can summon me directly by tagging me:

Brilliant Mathematics Staff - 1 month ago

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