What is the zeta function regularization value of
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This work is all based on Ramanujan's.
Most people will say it is infinity. But really the answer is − 1 2 1 , and not ∞ ; it has not only been proven by numberphile but has also shown up in physics as well.
First, we will prove that 1 − 1 + 1 − 1 + 1 − 1 + 1 − 1 + 1 − 1 + 1 − . . . = 2 1
1 − 1 = 0 and 1 − 1 + 1 = 1
We don't know where we will stop in the series, so we take the average of our answer 1 ∪ 0 and the solution should be 2 1
Next, 1 − 2 + 3 − 4 + 5 − 6 + 7 − 8 + 9 − . . . = ?
Let S + S 2 S 2 S S = 1 − 2 + 3 − 4 + 5 − 6 + 7 − 8 + 9 − ⋯ = + 1 − 2 + 3 − 4 + 5 − 6 + 7 − 8 + ⋯ add S to each side = 1 − 1 + 1 − 1 + 1 − 1 + 1 − 1 + 1 − ⋯ = 2 1 = 4 1
Finally, we will look at the serie in this problem: n = 1 ∑ ∞ n
Let S 1 − S S 1 − S S 1 − 4 1 − 4 1 − 1 2 1 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 + ⋯ = − ( 1 − 2 + 3 − 4 + 5 − 6 + 7 − 8 + 9 − ⋯ ) subtract S from each side. = 4 + 8 + 1 2 + 1 6 + ⋯ = 4 ( 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + ⋯ ) = 4 ( S 1 ) = 3 S 1 = S 1 ■