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Questions tagged [bernoulli-numbers]

The Bernoulli numbers are the rational numbers $B_n$ defined as the coefficients in the expansion $\frac{x}{e^x-1} = \sum_{n \geq 0} B_n \frac{x^n}{n!}$. They vanish when $n$ is odd and greater than $2$. They appear in the values at integers of the Riemann $\zeta$ function. These classical numbers play an important role in number theory and in several other places in mathematics.

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6 votes
1 answer
695 views

An operation is defined on polynomials. How do I generalize it to other classes of functions?

I am currently researching divergent integrals. Definition. An extended number is an expression of the form $\int_a^b f(x)\,dx$, where $a,b\in \overline{\mathbb{R}}$ and function $f(x)$ is defined ...
Anixx's user avatar
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101 votes
10 answers
16k views

Why do Bernoulli numbers arise everywhere?

I have seen Bernoulli numbers many times, and sometimes very surprisingly. They appear in my textbook on complex analysis, in algebraic topology, and of course, number theory. Things like the criteria ...
45 votes
16 answers
8k views

What does the generating function $x/(1 - e^{-x})$ count?

Let $x$ be a formal (or small, since the function is analytic) variable, and consider the power series $$ A(x) = \frac{x}{1 - e^{-x}} = \sum_{m=0}^\infty \left( -\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{(-x)^n}{(n+1)!}...
Theo Johnson-Freyd's user avatar
8 votes
3 answers
759 views

Transformation converting power series to Bernoulli polynomial series

I wonder, can anyone describe an expression or formula of a transform that converts $$\sum_{k=0}^\infty \frac{a_k x^k}{k!}$$ into $$\sum_{k=0}^\infty \frac{a_k B_k(x)}{k!}$$ where $B_k(x)$ are ...
Anixx's user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
182 views

Ask for a proof of an inequality involving the Bernoulli numbers

Let $B_k$ be the Bernoulli numbers and let \begin{equation} T_k=\frac{2^{2k}}{(2k)!}|B_{2k}|, \quad k\ge1. \end{equation} Prove the inequality \begin{equation*} \frac{\frac{1}{k+2}\sum_{j=0}^{k+1}\...
qifeng618's user avatar
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19 votes
0 answers
649 views

Bernoulli & Betti numbers (of manifolds) and the prime 34511

The purpose of this question is to resolve a mystery surrounding the prime 34511 that has got me bogged down for a while now. If you only care about the number theory and not the motivation coming ...
Jens Reinhold's user avatar
16 votes
1 answer
706 views

Connection between Bernoulli numbers and Riemann-Siegel theta function?

I have come across a strange approximation for the Riemann-Siegel theta function involving the Bernoulli numbers - namely that $$\frac{1}{2} \log \left| B_{2 n}\right|\approx \vartheta (2n)\ ,\quad n ...
martin's user avatar
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14 votes
1 answer
308 views

For a given even integer $k >14$ is there always a prime $p$ such that $k \leq p-3$ and $p|B_k$?

Let $k$ be a sufficiently large positive even integer. (I think $k > 14$ should do.) Can one always find a prime $p$ such that $p$ divides the numerator of the $k$-th Bernoulli number $B_k$ and $k \...
unramified's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
520 views

A novel identity connecting permanents to Bernoulli numbers

For a matrix $[a_{j,k}]_{1\le j,k\le n}$ over a field, its permanent is defined by $$\mathrm{per}[a_{j,k}]_{1\le j,k\le n}:=\sum_{\pi\in S_n}\prod_{j=1}^n a_{j,\pi(j)}.$$ In a recent preprint of mine, ...
Zhi-Wei Sun's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
281 views

How naturally can functions defined by parametric integrals be interpolated from $\mathbb N$ to $\mathbb R^+$?

It is well known that several definite integrals $I_n$ containing a parameter $n\in\mathbb N$ can be expressed recursively (e.g. doing integration by parts) in terms of $I_{n-1} $ or $I_{n-2} $, and ...
Wolfgang's user avatar
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