Given a sequence of nonzero real numbers, a 0 , a 1 , a 2 , … {\displaystyle a_{0},a_{1},a_{2},\ldots } , a general formula for the integral
can be given.8 To state the formula, one will need to consider sums involving the a k {\displaystyle a_{k}} . In particular, if γ = ( γ 1 , γ 2 , … , γ n ) ∈ { ± 1 } n {\displaystyle \gamma =(\gamma _{1},\gamma _{2},\ldots ,\gamma _{n})\in \{\pm 1\}^{n}} is an n {\displaystyle n} -tuple where each entry is ± 1 {\displaystyle \pm 1} , then we write b γ = a 0 + γ 1 a 1 + γ 2 a 2 + ⋯ + γ n a n {\displaystyle b_{\gamma }=a_{0}+\gamma _{1}a_{1}+\gamma _{2}a_{2}+\cdots +\gamma _{n}a_{n}} , which is a kind of alternating sum of the first few a k {\displaystyle a_{k}} , and we set ε γ = γ 1 γ 2 ⋯ γ n {\displaystyle \varepsilon _{\gamma }=\gamma _{1}\gamma _{2}\cdots \gamma _{n}} , which is either ± 1 {\displaystyle \pm 1} . With this notation, the value for the above integral is
where
In the case when a 0 > | a 1 | + | a 2 | + ⋯ + | a n | {\displaystyle a_{0}>|a_{1}|+|a_{2}|+\cdots +|a_{n}|} , we have C n = 1 {\displaystyle C_{n}=1} .
Furthermore, if there is an n {\displaystyle n} such that for each k = 0 , … , n − 1 {\displaystyle k=0,\ldots ,n-1} we have 0 < a n < 2 a k {\displaystyle 0<a_{n}<2a_{k}} and a 1 + a 2 + ⋯ + a n − 1 < a 0 < a 1 + a 2 + ⋯ + a n − 1 + a n {\displaystyle a_{1}+a_{2}+\cdots +a_{n-1}<a_{0}<a_{1}+a_{2}+\cdots +a_{n-1}+a_{n}} , which means that n {\displaystyle n} is the first value when the partial sum of the first n {\displaystyle n} elements of the sequence exceed a 0 {\displaystyle a_{0}} , then C k = 1 {\displaystyle C_{k}=1} for each k = 0 , … , n − 1 {\displaystyle k=0,\ldots ,n-1} but
The first example is the case when a k = 1 2 k + 1 {\displaystyle a_{k}={\frac {1}{2k+1}}} .
Note that if n = 7 {\displaystyle n=7} then a 7 = 1 15 {\displaystyle a_{7}={\frac {1}{15}}} and 1 3 + 1 5 + 1 7 + 1 9 + 1 11 + 1 13 ≈ 0.955 {\displaystyle {\frac {1}{3}}+{\frac {1}{5}}+{\frac {1}{7}}+{\frac {1}{9}}+{\frac {1}{11}}+{\frac {1}{13}}\approx 0.955} but 1 3 + 1 5 + 1 7 + 1 9 + 1 11 + 1 13 + 1 15 ≈ 1.02 {\displaystyle {\frac {1}{3}}+{\frac {1}{5}}+{\frac {1}{7}}+{\frac {1}{9}}+{\frac {1}{11}}+{\frac {1}{13}}+{\frac {1}{15}}\approx 1.02} , so because a 0 = 1 {\displaystyle a_{0}=1} , we get that
which remains true if we remove any of the products, but that
which is equal to the value given previously.
An exact integration method that is efficient for evaluating Borwein-like integrals is discussed here.9 This integration method works by reformulating integration in terms of a series of differentiations and it yields intuition into the unusual behavior of the Borwein integrals. The Integration by Differentiation method is applicable to general integrals, including Fourier and Laplace transforms. It is used in the integration engine of Maple since 2019. The Integration by Differentiation method is independent of the Feynman method that also uses differentiation to integrate.
While the integral
becomes less than π 2 {\displaystyle {\frac {\pi }{2}}} when n {\displaystyle n} exceeds 6, it never becomes much less, and in fact Borwein and Bailey10 have shown
where we can pull the limit out of the integral thanks to the dominated convergence theorem. Similarly, while
becomes less than π 2 {\displaystyle {\frac {\pi }{2}}} when n {\displaystyle n} exceeds 55, we have
Furthermore, using the Weierstrass factorizations
one can show
and with a change of variables obtain11
and1213
Schmuland14 has given appealing probabilistic formulations of the infinite product Borwein integrals. For example, consider the random harmonic series
where one flips independent fair coins to choose the signs. This series converges almost surely, that is, with probability 1. The probability density function of the result is a well-defined function, and value of this function at 2 is close to 1/8. However, it is closer to
Schmuland's explanation is that this quantity is 1 / π {\displaystyle 1/\pi } times
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Baillie, Robert (2011). "Fun With Very Large Numbers". arXiv:1105.3943 [math.NT]. /wiki/ArXiv_(identifier) ↩
Hill, Heather (2019). "Random walkers illuminate a math problem". Physics Today (8): 30771. Bibcode:2019PhT..2019h0771H. doi:10.1063/PT.6.1.20190808a. S2CID 202930808. /wiki/Bibcode_(identifier) ↩
Schmid, Hanspeter (2014), "Two curious integrals and a graphic proof" (PDF), Elemente der Mathematik, 69 (1): 11–17, doi:10.4171/EM/239, ISSN 0013-6018 http://schmid-werren.ch/hanspeter/publications/2014elemath.pdf ↩
Baez, John (September 20, 2018). "Patterns That Eventually Fail". Azimuth. Archived from the original on 2019-05-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20190521084631/https://johncarlosbaez.wordpress.com/2018/09/20/patterns-that-eventually-fail/ ↩
Satya Majumdar; Emmanuel Trizac (2019), "When random walkers help solving intriguing integrals", Physical Review Letters, 123 (2): 020201, arXiv:1906.04545, Bibcode:2019PhRvL.123b0201M, doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.020201, ISSN 1079-7114, PMID 31386528, S2CID 184488105 /wiki/ArXiv_(identifier) ↩
Jia; Tang; Kempf (2017), "Integration by differentiation: new proofs, methods and examples", Journal of Physics A, 50 (23): 235201, arXiv:1610.09702, Bibcode:2017JPhA...50w5201J, doi:10.1088/1751-8121/aa6f32, S2CID 56012760 /wiki/ArXiv_(identifier) ↩
Borwein, J. M.; Bailey, D. H. (2003). Mathematics by experiment : plausible reasoning in the 21st century (1st ed.). Wellesley, MA: A K Peters. OCLC 1064987843. /wiki/OCLC_(identifier) ↩
Borwein, Jonathan M. (2004). Experimentation in mathematics : computational paths to discovery. David H. Bailey, Roland Girgensohn. Natick, Mass.: AK Peters. ISBN 1-56881-136-5. OCLC 53021555. 1-56881-136-5 ↩
Bailey, David H.; Borwein, Jonathan M.; Kapoor, Vishaal; Weisstein, Eric W. (2006-06-01). "Ten Problems in Experimental Mathematics". The American Mathematical Monthly. 113 (6): 481. doi:10.2307/27641975. hdl:1959.13/928097. JSTOR 27641975. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc879570/ ↩
Schmuland, Byron (2003). "Random Harmonic Series". The American Mathematical Monthly. 110 (5): 407–416. doi:10.2307/3647827. JSTOR 3647827. /wiki/Doi_(identifier) ↩