most recent 30 from http://mathoverflow.net 2013-05-21T04:03:43Z http://mathoverflow.net/feeds/question/42386 http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/rdf http://mathoverflow.net/questions/42386/poles-from-the-continued-fraction-expansion-of-the-tangent-function Franz Lemmermeyer 2010-10-16T13:46:53Z 2012-12-15T03:49:33Z

<p>Consider the well known continued fraction expansion $$ z \tan z = \frac{z^2}{1 - \cfrac{z^2}{3- \cfrac{z^2}{5 - \ldots}}} $$ of the tangent function going back to Euler and Lambert (Lambert used it for showing that $\tan z$ is irrational for rational nonzero values of $z$, which implies the irrationality of $\pi$; Legendre later observed that the same proof gives the irrationality of $\pi^2$). Wall. in his book on continued fractions, claims that the formula is valid "for all $z$".</p> <p><em>Is there a nice way of determining the poles of $\tan z$ from looking at the right hand side of this expansion?</em> </p>

http://mathoverflow.net/questions/42386/poles-from-the-continued-fraction-expansion-of-the-tangent-function/116426#116426 Dima Pasechnik 2012-12-15T03:49:33Z 2012-12-15T03:49:33Z

<p>Just in case, there is a connection with Hankel determinants. Dividing both sides by $z^2$, one has $$\sum_k\mu_k z^k= \frac{\tan z}{z} = \frac{1}{1 - \cfrac{z^2}{3- \cfrac{z^2}{5 - \ldots}}} $$ Then one defines for all $m,n\geq 0$ the Hankel determinant $H^n_m$ is $$H^n_m=\det (\mu_{i+j})_{n\leq i,j\leq n+m-1}.$$ Let $z_1, z_2,\dots$ be the poles of $\frac{\tan z}{z}$, ordered by increase of the modulus. It's classically known (see Chapter 7 of Henrici's "Applied and computational complex analysis", Vol.1) that $$ \lim_{n\to\infty} \frac{H_m^{n+1}}{H_m^n}=\prod_{j=1}^m z_j^{-1},$$ whenever $|z_m|&lt;|z_{m+1}|$. While I don't know $H_m^n$ for all $n$, for $n=0$ it can be read off directly from the continued fraction, using Theorem 11 of Krattenthaler's "Advanced determinantal calculus". In fact, it gives $H_m^0=1$. Perhaps $H_m^n$ are also directly related to the coefficients of the continued fraction.</p>