Possible convergence of prime series

Loren Booda
Messages
3,108
Reaction score
4
Does either

\frac{\prod_{2N=n}^\infty{p_n}}{\prod_{2N-1=n}^\infty{p_n}}

or

\frac{\sum_{2N=n}^\infty{p_n}}{\sum_{2N-1=n}^\infty{p_n}}

converge, diverge or oscillate, where N are the natural numbers, and pn is the nth prime?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Assuming we do all the cancellation possible in the first one without worrying what it means, and that 2N=n really ought to be written n=2N, then it simplifies to

1/p_{2N-1}

which converges to 0 as N tends to infinity.

I don't think N can mean the natural numbers by the way.
 
My interpretation is
\prod_{n=1}^\infty\frac{p_{2n}}{p_{2n-1}}
which diverges to +infty. But
\prod_{n=1}^\infty p_n^{(-1)^n}
oscillates, so it really depends on how you write it.
 
Anybody else - convergence, divergence or oscillation?
 
Loren Booda said:
Anybody else - convergence, divergence or oscillation?

Why don't you rewrite it, or explain it in different terms, so we can all be talking about the same thing?
 
CRGreathouse,

1.

How does the ratio between the product of all even-ordered primes pn (n=2N; n=2, 4, 6...) and the product of all odd-ordered primes pn (n=2N-1; n=1, 3, 5...) behave as n approaches infinity?

2.

How does the ratio between the summation of all even-ordered primes pn (n=2N; n=2, 4, 6...) and the summation of all odd-ordered primes pn (n=2N-1; n=1, 3, 5...) behave as n approaches infinity?
 
Loren Booda said:
How does the ratio between the product of all even-ordered primes pn (n=2N; n=2, 4, 6...) and the product of all odd-ordered primes pn (n=2N-1; n=1, 3, 5...) behave as n approaches infinity?

But "the product of all even-ordered primes" is infinite, as is "the product of all odd-ordered primes". You can't sensibly take the ratio at all.

I gave two ways (post #5) to do the operation: take factors two at a time:
(3/2) * (7/5) * (13/11) * ...
which diverges, and taking them one factor at a time:
(1/2) * 3 * (1/5) * 7 * (1/11) * ...
which may oscillate.

But you may intend neither of these; that's why I asked for clarification.
 
You reminded me of the book Gamma by Julian Havil [p. 22-24] that the apparent behavior of an infinite calculation may contradict itself according to how its terms are grouped - like you say, as is written.
 
CRGreathouse said:
But "the product of all even-ordered primes" is infinite, as is "the product of all odd-ordered primes". You can't sensibly take the ratio at all.

I gave two ways (post #5) to do the operation: take factors two at a time:
(3/2) * (7/5) * (13/11) * ...
which diverges, and taking them one factor at a time:
(1/2) * 3 * (1/5) * 7 * (1/11) * ...
which may oscillate.

But you may intend neither of these; that's why I asked for clarification.

37 is the number we all find more often then not
 

Similar threads

Replies
3
Views
3K
Replies
3
Views
2K
Replies
1
Views
3K
Replies
17
Views
3K
Replies
3
Views
1K
Replies
1
Views
1K
Replies
5
Views
2K
Replies
5
Views
2K
Back
Top