14
$\begingroup$

A long time ago when I was in college I read about making a spiral out of right triangles with sides 1 and $\sqrt{N}$. (A google search seems to indicate that this is called the Spiral of Theodorus.)

Spiral of Theodorus built out of a sequence of right triangles

I spent a long time trying to prove that the series of points approximated a spiral $R = K\theta + \varphi$, by trying to show the limit of the difference $\varphi = \sqrt{N+1} - K \sum_{i=1}^N \arctan(1/\sqrt{i})$ existed for some $K$. I think I managed to do it but it was confusing and can't find my papers. (and I'm still an amateur mathematician!)

Is this a known problem, and is there a closed-form solution to $K$ and $\varphi$?

$\endgroup$
3

1 Answer 1

15
$\begingroup$

Here's a sketch of a proof that the constant you want exists, and how to find it.

Let $$ f(n) = \arctan(1) + \arctan(1/\sqrt{2}) + \arctan(1/\sqrt{3}) + \ldots + \arctan(1/\sqrt{n}). $$ You want to show that $f(n) = \sqrt{n} + C + o(1)$ for some constant $C$. (If you're not familiar with the $o$-notation, think of $o(1)$ as representing some function which goes to $0$ as $n$ goes to infinity.)

Then take the power series expansion of $\arctan(1/\sqrt{k})$; this is

$$ (*) ~~~~~~~k^{-1/2} - \frac{1}{3} k^{-3/2} + \frac{1}{5} k^{-5/2} + \ldots $$

So summing over $1$ to $n$, we should get \begin{align*} f(n) = & (1^{-1/2} + 2^{-1/2} + ... + n^{-1/2}) \\\ - \, \frac{1}{3} &(1^{-3/2} + 2^{-3/2} + ... + n^{-3/2}) \\\ + \, \frac{1}{5}& (1^{-5/2} + 2^{-5/2} + ... + n^{-5/2}) - \ldots \end{align*} Now, $1^{-1/2} + 2^{-1/2} + \ldots + n^{-1/2}$ has the asymptotic form $$ 2 \sqrt{n} + \zeta(1/2) + O(n^{-1/2}) $$ where I cheated a bit and asked Maple, and $\zeta$ is the Riemann zeta function. And $1^{-j/2} + 2^{-j/2} + \ldots + n^{-j/2}$ has the asymptotic form $$ \zeta(j/2) - O(n^{-j/2 + 1}) $$ where, if you're not familiar with the $O$-notation, $O(n^{-j/2+1})$ should be thought of as a function that goes to zero at least as fast as $n^{-j/2 + 1}$ as n goes to infinity. So, assuming that we can rearrange series however we like, $$ f(n) = 2 \sqrt{n} + (\zeta(1/2) - \frac{1}{3} \zeta(3/2) + \frac{1}{5} \zeta(5/2) - \ldots) + o(1). $$ Since $\zeta(s)$ is very close to $1$ when $s$ is a large real number, that alternating series should converge. Again cheating and using Maple, I claim it converges to about $−2.157782997$. This is the constant you call $\varphi$, and what you called $K$ is equal to $2$. (An easier way to see that your $K$ is $2$ is to note that $\arctan(1/\sqrt{n})$ is about $1/\sqrt{n}$, and approximate the sum by an integral.

$\endgroup$
2

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.