Questions tagged [divergent-series]
The divergent-series tag has no usage guidance.
131 questions
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Solving (or approximating) a certain delay differential equation
I'm interested in finding the (unique?) solution to the set of delay differential equations
$$f_w(w,x) = xf(w,w^2x)+w^3x^2f(w,w^4x), $$
$$f_x(w,x) = wf(w,w^2x)$$
With the initial condition $f(1,x) = e^...
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Singularities at the circle of convergence: generalization of Cauchy-Hadamard theorem
Consider a series $\sum a_n z^n$ with finite radius of convergence $R$. Cauchy-Hadamard theorem gives $1/R = lim\ sup |a_n|^{1/n}$.
Q: Suppose for some reason (e.g. numerical) we know that there is ...
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New (?) Regularization Method for Divergent Series [closed]
Playing with identities ($1$) and ($2$) from this blog post and infinite geometric series, I've noticed the following.
For $x > 1$, the following series is convergent:
$$\sum_{n=0}^{\infty} e^{(2n ...
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Is there any sequence $a_n$ of nonnegative numbers for which $\sum_{n \geq 1}a_n^2 <\infty$ and $\sum_{n \geq 1}\left(\sum_{k \geq 1}\frac{a_{kn}}{k}\right)^2=\infty$?
Is there any sequence $a_n$ of nonnegative numbers for which $\displaystyle\sum_{n \geq 1}a_n^2 <\infty$ and
$$\sum_{n \geq 1}\left(\sum_{k \geq 1}\frac{a_{kn}}{k}\right)^2=\infty\quad?$$
See ...
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What is the relationship between $\sum_{n=0}^\infty f(n) x^n$ and $-\sum_{n=1}^\infty f(-n) x^{-n}$?
Background
Taking a relatively arbitrary combination of exponential and polynomial terms, for instance
$$\sum_{n=0}^\infty \left(n^{2}\sin\left(n\right)+n\cos\left(3n-2\right)\right)\cos\left(5n+1\...
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$\sum_n a_n/n$, $\sum_n a_n/n^\rho$, $\sum_n a_n$… Tauberian theorems?
In analytic number theory, it is common to prove that $$\sum_{n\leq N} \frac{a_n}{n} = o(\log N)\tag{$\star$}\label{476699_star}$$ for some sequence $\{a_n\}_{n=1}^\infty$, $a_n\in \mathbb{C}$. (It is ...
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Divergent series & continued fraction (from Gauss' mathematical diary)
I've asked that question before on History of Science and Mathematics but haven't received an answer
Does someone have a reference or further explanation on Gauß' entry from May 24, 1796 in his ...
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Does any method of summing divergent series work on the harmonic series?
It's sort of folklore (as exemplified by this old post at The Everything Seminar) that none of the common techniques for summing divergent series work to give a meaningful value to the harmonic series,...
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A problem about the series $\sin(n^p)$ [closed]
Prove that when $p>0,$ the series $$\sum_{n=1}^\infty \sin(n^p)$$
is divergent
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How are distributions and divergent series summations related?
When we do Fourier analysis, we don't always get convergent series. A classic example comes from considering the Sawtooth function. It has Fourier Coefficients
$$s(x) = \frac{1}{2} + \sum_{n \neq 0} \...
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Does summing divergent series using cutoff functions give consistent results?
One way to try to give a value $S$ to a divergent series $\sum_{n=1}^\infty a_n$ is with a smooth cutoff function:
$$
S = \lim_{N\to\infty}\sum_{n=1}^\infty a_n \eta\left(\frac{n}{N}\right)
$$
where $\...
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Series convergence if $\sum a_n^2 < \infty$
There are quite a few simple results about convergent/divergent series derived from similar ones. Here is a question in the same spirit that I saw posted on another forum. Unfortunately, I don't have ...
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History of asymptotic expansion of Laplace’s method between Laplace and Erdélyi
In 1774 Laplace understood that $I≔∫\textrm{d}x \exp kf(x)$ for $k≫0$ can be estimated if one knows 2-jet of $f$ at its point of maximum (as $I₀ ≔ ∫\textrm{d}x \exp kf₀(x)$ with $f₀$ quadratic with ...
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Fractional integrals and $\sum f(n) n^x$
Preamble
The following is a rather unrigorous way to obtain the Euler-Maclaurin formula. Consider some $\sum_{n=1}^\infty f(n)$. We may rewrite this as
$$\sum_{n=1}^\infty f(n)=\sum_{n=1}^\infty \sum_{...
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Can we just use the linear term of exponential sums to sum divergent series
Suppose you want to compute the sum $\sum_{n=0}^{\infty} a_n $
You could consider the expression $f(x) = \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} e^{a_n x}$ and try to compute the coefficient of an $x^1$ term in the ...
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Generalized limits
Cross-posted from Math SE.
The linked question explores the concept of a "generalized limit" that assigns values to sequences which diverge in the Cauchy sense. It asks the following question:
...
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Laurent Series $\sum_{n=-1}^\infty a_n x^n$ when $a_{-1} = \infty$
When dealing with complex functions, if $f(x)$ has a simple pole, then we can find the coefficient $a_{-1}$ in the Laurent expansion $f(x) = \sum_{n=-1}^\infty a_n x^n$ by evaluating the limit $\lim_{...
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If $f(x) = \sum_{n=0}^\infty a_n x^n$, then $\int_{-\infty}^\infty f(x^2) dx = \pi i a_{-\frac{1}{2}}$
I've noticed a curious relationship between the coefficient $a_n$ for a power series and the integral of the real line. For instance, take $f(x) = e^{-x} = \sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{(-1)^n}{n!} x^n$. ...
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Computing residues at $\infty$
As an initial note, let me show by example what I mean by the terminology 'residue at $\infty$' I use in the title. I assume there is some standard terminology for this stuff, so I'd appreciate it if ...
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$\frac {f (0)}{2}+ \sum_{k=1}^{\infty}f (k)=\sum_{n=-\infty}^{\infty} \mathcal{L} \{ f \} (2 \pi i n)$
I obtained the very strange formula above and at begining I was just wanted know how to interpretate it. But now when I know what is this with help of @Carlo Beenakker, I am leaving it as a proof. BTW ...
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Correct way to extend a sequence defined on the naturals into the complex plane
Preamble
Sequences $a_n$ defined on the natural numbers are clearly not uniquely interpolated by only one function. In particular, given an interpolation $f(n) = a_n$, then $f(n) + \sin(2\pi n)$ is ...
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Adrastus, Proclus, and 2+8+50+288+… vs. 1+9+49+289+…
According to the MacTutor essay "D'Arcy Thompson on Greek irrationals" (which I take to be a version of Thompson's original essay whose only liberty with the original text is giving English ...
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Do roots of these polynomials approach the negative of the Euler-Mascheroni constant?
Let $p_n$ be the $n$th degree polynomial that sends $\frac{k(k-1)}{2}$ to $\frac{k(k+1)}{2}$ for $k=1,2,...,n+1$. E.g., $p_2(x) = (6+13x -x^2)/6$ is the unique quadratic polynomial $p(x)$ satisfying $...
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1+2+3+4+… and −⅛
Is there some deeper meaning to the following derivation (or rather one-parameter family of derivations) associating the divergent series $1+2+3+4+…$ with the value $-\frac 1 8$ (as opposed to the ...
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Possible regularisation for sum of function of primes
Consider the following sum of function of primes:
$$-\sum_{p}\ln\left( 1 - \frac{1}{(ep)^{1/2}} \right){\ln(p)}$$
Here $p$ runs through all primes and $e$ is Euler's constant.
We can see that the sum ...
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Convergence and roots of alternating periodic infinite series
Let $0<\alpha <1$ and $\beta > 0$. Consider the mapping $$F(\alpha, \beta) = \sum_{n=1}^{\infty}{\dfrac{(-1)^{n-1}\biggl( \cos \left(\beta\ln(n)\right)\biggr)}{n^{\alpha}}}.$$ Can we prove $F(...
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Does the analytical continuation of $\sum f(n) x^n $ always have a branch cut if $f(z)$ has a pole?
I suspect the answer to the title question is 'no', but I'm hoping to find an explicit counterexample. Also, I am requiring that $\sum f(n) x^n $ has a finite radius of convergence, otherwise, the ...
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Gottfried Helms' tetra-eta series
Here Gottfried Helms introduces the following fascinating divergent series
$$ T_2(x)=- \sum_{n=1}^\infty (-1)^n n^{n^x}$$
The terms don't go to zero, so technically the series does not converge ...
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Switching the order of a summation and replacing a series by its analytical continuation
Background
A useful trick when trying to analyze a series $\sum_{n=0}^\infty f(n)$ is to expand $f(n)$ as some kind of series, swap the order of summation, and then evaluate the inner infinite sum. ...
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A holomorphic function in the open unit disk satisfying certain properties
Does there exist a function which is holomorphic in $|z|<1,$ continuous in $|z|\leq1$ and such that the series $\sum |a_n|$ is divergent, where $a_n$'s coefficients in the Taylor series expansion ...
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How to correctly renormalize this function at the pole $x=1$? Evaluating: $\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} e^{e^n}$
So I was considering the divergent everywhere but 0 power series
$$ f(x) = \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} e^{e^n} x^n $$
Now one can do the following "questionable" manipulation
$$ f(x) = \sum_{n=0}^{\...
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The divergent sum $\sum_{n=1}^\infty (-1)^n (n^2)! x^n$
Question
I'm interested in assigning a value to the divergent series $F(x)=\sum_{n=1}^\infty (-1)^n (n^2)! x^n$. I'm hoping that (1) the definition for $F(x)$ has (one-sided) derivatives of $(-1)^n (n^...
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Crazy conjecture about Bernoulli umbra and reference request
For years umbral calculus have fascinated me. Bernoulli numbers (which represent powers of Bernoulli umbra) are involved in many classic power series expansions.
Yet, it still remains mistery what ...
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Theta-function in the lower half-plane
Standard theta function
$$\vartheta(q)=\sum_{n=-\infty}^\infty q^{n^2} \qquad\qquad(1)$$
has a natural boundary of analyticity at $|q|=1$. This means that it can not be used to regularize expressions ...
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Evaluating the series $\sum_{n=0}^{\infty} n! x^n$ and inverse variable-fractional-derivatives
So I was interested in formally assigning values to the completely divergent series $G(x) = \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} n!x^n $. I guess the question COULD end here if you already have an idea of how to ...
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Assigning values to divergent oscillating integrals
I have recently run into a number of divergent oscillating integrals in various contexts. Thus, I have been led to desire general methods for assigning values to divergent oscillating integrals. All ...
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Extending reals with logarithm of zero: properties and reference request
If we take logarithmic function, we can see that its real part at zero approaches negative infinity with the same rate and sign from any direction on the complex plane, while the Cauchy main value of ...
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On summation methods of divergent series
$\newcommand{\R}{\mathbb R}\newcommand{\N}{\mathbb N}\newcommand{\si}{\sigma}\newcommand{\CC}{\mathcal C}$This previous question introduced the following notion of a summability space.
Let $\N:=\{1,2,\...
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Generalizations of summation methods of divergence series
If one looks at the "summation proofs" of divergent series such as Grandi's series, one might see a pattern that most of the computation rely on linearity and comparability with the shift ...
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Is there a "quantum" Riemann zeta function?
Occasionally I find myself in a situation where a naive, non-rigorous computation leads me to a divergent sum, like $\sum_{n=1}^\infty n$. In times like these, a standard approach is to guess the ...
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Borel summation and the Abel function of $e^z-1$
This is a question that has bothered myself and Gottfried Helms a fair amount of late. He has made his case for the following result, but a proof escapes both of us. The question is deceptively simple,...
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Is there any intuition of why the both, regularized logarithm of zero is $-\gamma$ and the regularized logarithm of Bernoulli umbra is $-\gamma$?
If we take the MacLaurin series for $\ln(x+1)$ and evaluate it at $x=-1$, we will get the Harmonic series with the opposite sign: $-\sum_{k=1}^\infty \frac1x$. Since the regularized sum of the ...
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Term-wise expectation of the Taylor series for $1/X$ yields asymptotic expansion for $\mathsf EX^{-1}$. What are the conditions?
Migrated from the MSE.
Let $X\sim F_X$ denote a continuous random variable. Computing the first negative moment $\mathsf EX^{-1}$ (assuming it exists) may not be tractable and thus a common tactic is ...
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What's the true regularized value of product of all natural numbers?
Muñoz Garcia and Pérez-Marco - The product over all primes is $4\pi^2$ claims that the regularized value of product $\prod_{k=1}^\infty k$ is $\sqrt{2\pi}$ and of $\prod_{k=1}^\infty p_k$ over primes $...
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Interchange summation order in the limit of number of elements going to $\infty$
Considering the sum $\sum_{i=0}^{\infty}\sum_{j=0}^{\infty} a_{ij}$, in general we are not allowed to interchange the summation order (i.e. pass to $\sum_{j=0}^{\infty}\sum_{i=0}^{\infty} a_{ij}$) but ...
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Reference request: Rigorously solving ODEs using divergent asymptotic series
In my research I have come across a divergent asymptotic series $\sum_{n =0}^\infty a_n f_n(x)$ that formally solves a certain fairly simple nonlinear second-order ODE but does not seem to correspond ...
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Linear combinations of geometric series
Consider the uncountable-dimensional vector space $V$ consisting of finite linear combinations of infinite sequences of the form $(1,z,z^2,z^3,\dots)$ with $z \neq 1$ in $\mathbb{C}$. Since the ...
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Equality of bivariate formal series
Is it possible to prove algebraically that the two series uniquely defined by the following equations are equal:
$L_1=uz+zL_1^2+z \partial_uL_1$ and
$L_2=uz+z^2+z L_2^2+2z^4 \partial_zL_2$
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Evaluating $\sum_{n=0}^\infty n^k n!$ in p-adics, and its connection to the summation of divergent series
Often, in the discussion of the regularization of the geometric series it is mentioned that $\sum_{n=0}^\infty p^n$ converges in the p-adics, and indeed, that it converges to $\frac{1}{1-p}$. I had ...
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A proposition for summing divergent series, but how should partial summation be defined at non-natural values?
Introduction
I have been in search of methods of assinging values to divergent series that have a nice intuitive or geometric interpretation. One fairly straightforward method I've considered for ...
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