I What is the role of Laurent series in solving limits at infinity?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on the application of Laurent series in evaluating limits at infinity, particularly in the context of calculating the integral of the logarithm of the Gamma function. Participants explore how the absence of positive powers in a Laurent series indicates that the limit can be determined by the absolute term, while the presence of finite positive powers suggests the expression lacks a limit. The conversation also addresses the concept of expansion at infinity, comparing it to standard expansions around zero. Questions arise regarding the nature of these expansions and their implications for limits, particularly in the context of the function 1/z as z approaches infinity. The thread concludes with a clarification on the correct forms of expansions and their relevance to the limit evaluation.
MAGNIBORO
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hi, I try to calculate the integral
$$\int_{0}^{1}log(\Gamma (x))dx$$

and the last step To solve the problem is:
$$1 -\frac{\gamma }{2} + \lim_{n\rightarrow \infty } \frac{H_{n}}{2} + n + log(\Gamma (n+1)) - (n+1)(log(n+1))$$
and wolfram alpha tells me something about series expansion at ##n=\infty## of laurent series
http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?...rmassumption={"C",+"limit"}+->+{"Calculator"}

I know a little about series of laurent, but I do not understand how they serve to solve limits
and expansion at ##n=\infty##.
 
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If the Laurent series does not include positive powers of n (as in this problem), then the absolute term is your limit (the negative powers vanish for n->infinity).

If it has a finite number of positive powers of n, then your expression does not have a limit. If none of those cases apply, it gets complicated.
 
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mfb said:
If the Laurent series does not include positive powers of n (as in this problem), then the absolute term is your limit (the negative powers vanish for n->infinity).

If it has a finite number of positive powers of n, then your expression does not have a limit. If none of those cases apply, it gets complicated.
I do understand that, but what does it mean "expansion at ##n=\infty##". and how wolfram alpha obtained for complicated expresions like
$$\lim_{n\rightarrow \infty } \frac{H_{n}}{2} + n + log(\Gamma (n+1)) - (n+1)(log(n+1))$$
 
It is the same as an expansion around u=0 for u=1/n.

How: Sum all terms of the expansion of the summands in the usual way.
 
mfb said:
It is the same as an expansion around u=0 for u=1/n.

How: Sum all terms of the expansion of the summands in the usual way.

but expancion at u=0 of n=1/u Is not it just 1/u?
like expancion at z=0 of y= z^2 - 3z +1/z is not just z^2 - 3z +1/z?

and other question:
the expancion of 1/z at z=n is
$$\frac{1}{z}=\frac{1}{u+n}=\frac{1}{n}\, \frac{1}{1+\frac{u}{n}}=\sum_{k=0}^{\infty }\frac{(-1)^{k}\, (z-n)^{k}}{n^{k+1}}$$

for n tends to infinity Would be
$$\lim_{n\rightarrow \infty }+\frac{1}{n}-\frac{z-n}{n^{2}}+... = 0$$

so... what mistake I have?
 
The limit of 1/z for z->infinity is 0. Where is the problem?
If you expand around n, letting the expansion point go to infinity looks odd.
MAGNIBORO said:
but expancion at u=0 of n=1/u Is not it just 1/u?
like expancion at z=0 of y= z^2 - 3z +1/z is not just z^2 - 3z +1/z?
Those are the correct expansions.
 
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mfb said:
The limit of 1/z for z->infinity is 0. Where is the problem?
If you expand around n, letting the expansion point go to infinity looks odd.
Those are the correct expansions.
thanks =D
 
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