Understanding Gamma Function: A Step-by-Step Guide

In summary, the conversation discusses the definition of the gamma function and how to compute the limit of a product involving the gamma function. The final step is achieved by dividing both the numerator and denominator by n and taking the limit as n approaches infinity. This results in the first term of the product converging to 'z'.
  • #1
Muthumanimaran
81
2
This is given in Mathematical methods for physicists by Arfken and weber, while defining a property of gamma function, I have no idea how the term in the red circle becomes 'z' in the final step, please help
 

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  • #2
Try multiplying the numerator and denominator by z and pull out an n from the exponent then rearrange terms.
 
  • #3
I'm asking about the final step, How to get the final step from the second step?
 
  • #4
The limit of the product is product of the limit of the factors. What is the definition of the gamma function?
 
  • #5
I know the limit of the second term in the product converges to "gamma of z', it is how the gamma function is defined, But I couldn't figure out how the limit of the first term in the product converges to 'z'. How do I compute it?
 
  • #6
So you are asking specifically about
[tex]\lim_{n\to \infty} \frac{nz}{z+ n+ 1}[/tex]

Divide both numerator and denominator by n:
[tex]\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{z}{\frac{z}{n}+ 1+ \frac{1}{n}}[/tex]
 
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Likes JR Sauerland and Muthumanimaran
  • #7
nz/(n+z+1) → nz/n in the limit n→∞
 
  • #8
HallsofIvy said:
So you are asking specifically about
[tex]\lim_{n\to \infty} \frac{nz}{z+ n+ 1}[/tex]

Divide both numerator and denominator by n:
[tex]\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{z}{\frac{z}{n}+ 1+ \frac{1}{n}}[/tex]

Yeah that's what I asked for, Thank you!
 

1. What is the Gamma function?

The Gamma function, denoted by the symbol Γ, is a mathematical function that generalizes the factorial function to non-integer values. It is defined as Γ(z) = ∫0 xz-1e-xdx, where z is a complex number.

2. What is the significance of the Gamma function?

The Gamma function has many important applications in mathematics, physics, and statistics. It is used to solve various problems involving areas, volumes, and lengths of curves. It is also used in probability distributions, particularly the Gamma distribution, which is commonly used in modeling waiting times and failure rates.

3. How do you calculate the Gamma function?

The Gamma function cannot be calculated directly, but it can be approximated using various numerical methods. One common method is the Lanczos approximation, which uses a series of rational functions to approximate the value of the Gamma function.

4. What are the properties of the Gamma function?

The Gamma function has many properties, including the recurrence relation Γ(z+1) = zΓ(z), which allows for easy calculation of the function for integer values, and the reflection formula Γ(z)Γ(1-z) = π/sin(πz), which relates the values of the function at z and 1-z. It also has connections to other special functions, such as the Beta function.

5. How is the Gamma function used in real-world applications?

The Gamma function is used in a wide range of real-world applications, such as in physics for calculating wavefunctions and in engineering for modeling failure rates. It is also used in statistics for fitting data to a Gamma distribution and in finance for pricing financial options. Additionally, the Euler integral of the Gamma function is used in the calculation of various mathematical constants, such as the Euler-Mascheroni constant.

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