The product of all natural numbers

Calculus Level 4

Let x x denote the product of all natural numbers (excluding zero).

x = 1 × 2 × 3 × 4 × 5 × 6 × 7 × x = 1 \times 2 \times 3 \times 4 \times 5 \times 6 \times 7 \times \ldots

This is a divergent product. Using zeta function regularization , find the value of x x .


The answer is 2.50662827463.

This section requires Javascript.
You are seeing this because something didn't load right. We suggest you, (a) try refreshing the page, (b) enabling javascript if it is disabled on your browser and, finally, (c) loading the non-javascript version of this page . We're sorry about the hassle.

1 solution

Kitran Colwell
Mar 28, 2014

Note that for the zeta function ζ ( s ) = n = 1 n s , \zeta(s)=\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}n^{-s}, we have that ζ ( s ) = n = 1 n s ln n , \zeta'(s)=-\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}n^{-s}\ln n, so that ζ ( 0 ) = n = 1 ln n = 1 2 ln 2 π \zeta'(0)=-\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\ln n=-\frac{1}{2}\ln 2\pi after using a known value of the zeta function derivative (gotten from the Hadamard product or Wallis formula). Then we may evaluate 1 × 2 × 3 × = exp ( ζ ( 0 ) ) = ( 2 π ) 1 / 2 . 1\times 2\times 3\times\cdots=\exp(-\zeta'(0))=(2\pi)^{1/2}.

EDIT: More information on the Wallis formula π 2 = n = 1 ( 2 n ) 2 ( 2 n 1 ) ( 2 n + 1 ) = 2 2 1 3 4 4 3 5 6 6 5 7 . \frac{\pi}{2}=\prod_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac{(2n)^2}{(2n-1)(2n+1)}=\frac{2\cdot 2}{1\cdot 3}\frac{4\cdot 4}{3\cdot 5}\frac{6\cdot 6}{5\cdot 7}\cdots. This product emerges when we examine the function F ( s ) = ( 1 2 1 s ) ζ ( s ) = 1 2 + 1 2 n = 1 ( 1 ) n 1 ( 1 n s 1 ( n + 1 ) s ) . F(s)=(1-2^{1-s})\zeta(s)=\frac{1}{2}+\frac{1}{2}\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}(-1)^{n-1}\left(\frac{1}{n^s}-\frac{1}{(n+1)^s}\right). Taking the s s derivative of both sides, we have 2 1 s ( ln 2 ) ζ ( s ) + ( 1 2 1 s ) ζ ( s ) = 1 2 n = 1 ( 1 ) n [ ln n n s ln ( n + 1 ) ( n + 1 ) s ] . 2^{1-s}(\ln 2)\zeta(s)+(1-2^{1-s})\zeta'(s)=\frac{1}{2}\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}(-1)^n\left[\frac{\ln n}{n^s}-\frac{\ln(n+1)}{(n+1)^s}\right]. Evaluating at s = 0 s=0 and using ζ ( 0 ) = 1 / 2 \zeta(0)=-1/2 , we have 2 ( ln 2 ) ( 1 / 2 ) + ( 1 2 ) ζ ( 0 ) = 1 2 n = 1 ( 1 ) n [ ln n ln ( n + 1 ) ] = 1 2 ln ( 2 2 1 3 4 4 3 5 6 6 5 7 ) = 1 2 ln π 2 . 2(\ln 2)(-1/2)+(1-2)\zeta'(0)=\frac{1}{2}\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}(-1)^n\left[\ln n-\ln(n+1)\right]=\frac{1}{2}\ln\left(\frac{2\cdot 2}{1\cdot 3}\frac{4\cdot 4}{3\cdot 5}\frac{6\cdot 6}{5\cdot 7}\cdots\right)=\frac{1}{2}\ln\frac{\pi}{2}. From this we see that ζ ( 0 ) = 1 2 ln 2 π \zeta'(0)=-\tfrac{1}{2}\ln 2\pi .

Thank you for posting the solution, Kitran. The first step of the process is to convert the infinite product into an infinite sum, as follows:

n = 1 n = exp ( log n = 1 n ) = exp ( n = 1 log n ) \prod_{n=1}^\infty n = \exp{(\log{\prod_{n=1}^\infty n})} = \exp{(\sum_{n=1}^\infty \log{n})}

Then notice that the derivative of the zeta function is given by

ζ ( z ) = d d z n = 1 n z = n = 1 d d z n z = n = 1 n z log n = n = 1 n z log n \zeta'(z) = \frac{\mathrm{d}}{\mathrm{d}z} \sum_{n=1}^\infty n^{-z} = \sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{\mathrm{d}}{\mathrm{d}z} n^{-z} = \sum_{n=1}^\infty -n^{-z} \log{n} = -\sum_{n=1}^\infty n^{-z} \log{n}

Hence for z = 0,

ζ ( 0 ) = n = 1 log n \zeta'(0) = -\sum_{n=1}^\infty \log{n}

From which it follows that

exp ( n = 1 log n ) = exp ( ζ ( 0 ) ) \exp{(\sum_{n=1}^\infty \log{n})} = \exp{(-\zeta'(0))}

Making the connection with the Riemann zeta function explicit.

Carlos Martin - 7 years, 2 months ago

Where does 2 π 2 \pi come from?

Sadie Robinson - 7 years, 2 months ago

How can 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 5...... can be equal to 2.507??

Anuj Shikarkhane - 6 years, 10 months ago

Obviously wrong, the product of all natural numbers is -1/2. All you have to remember is that multiplication is just glorified addition.

ImRight YouAreWrong - 4 years, 2 months ago

0 pending reports

×

Problem Loading...

Note Loading...

Set Loading...