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Questions tagged [divergent-series]

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3 votes
0 answers
200 views

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
adobereader's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
117 views

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} \...
Caleb Briggs's user avatar
  • 1,692
19 votes
1 answer
1k views

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 $\...
not all wrong's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
399 views

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 ...
Ivan's user avatar
  • 689
5 votes
1 answer
159 views

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 ...
Ilya Zakharevich's user avatar
24 votes
1 answer
1k views

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 ...
Sidharth Ghoshal's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
243 views

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_{...
Caleb Briggs's user avatar
  • 1,692
7 votes
1 answer
314 views

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 $f(x) = e^{-x} = \sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{(-1)^n}{n!} x^n$. ...
Caleb Briggs's user avatar
  • 1,692
6 votes
0 answers
170 views

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 ...
Caleb Briggs's user avatar
  • 1,692
4 votes
0 answers
148 views

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 ...
Caleb Briggs's user avatar
  • 1,692
4 votes
1 answer
522 views

$\frac {f (0)}{2}+ \sum_{k=1}^{\infty}f (k)=\sum_{n=-\infty}^{\infty} \mathcal{L} \{ f \} (2 \pi i n)$

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 ...
Wreior's user avatar
  • 161
30 votes
3 answers
2k views

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 $...
James Propp's user avatar
  • 19.6k
37 votes
2 answers
4k views

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 ...
James Propp's user avatar
  • 19.6k
-2 votes
1 answer
211 views

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(...
MrPie 's user avatar
  • 305
6 votes
1 answer
235 views

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_{...
Caleb Briggs's user avatar
  • 1,692

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