Re: Bernoulli Numbers
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg122637] Re: Bernoulli Numbers
- From: "Alexander Elkins" <alexander_elkins at hotmail.com>
- Date: Fri, 4 Nov 2011 06:00:14 -0500 (EST)
- Delivered-to: l-mathgroup@mail-archive0.wolfram.com
- References: <j8r9gv$3jd$1@smc.vnet.net>
Mathematica provides for the computation of Bernoulli numbers:
In[1]:= expect=Table[BernoulliB[k], {k, 0, 20}]
Out[1]= {1, -(1/2), 1/6, 0, -(1/30), 0, 1/42, 0, -(1/30), 0, 5/66,
0, -(691/2730), 0, 7/6, 0, -(3617/510), 0, 43867/798, 0, -(174611/330)}
For one way to display them in a table use:
Grid[Table[{Subscript[B, k], BernoulliB[k]}, {k, 0, 20}],
Alignment -> {{Left, Center}}]
We can check the recursive definition you gave:
In[2]:= Sum[Binomial[n, k]*BernoulliB[k], {k, 0, n - 1}] == 0
Out[2]= True
Mathematica's result is incorrect, since this is true if and only if n > 1,
as is shown here when n = 1:
In[3]:= With[{n = 1}, Sum[Binomial[n, k]*BernoulliB[k], {k, 0, n - 1}] == 0]
Out[3]= False
The simplest way to do what you ask is to use Nest to build the list of
Bernoulli numbers using Solve on the recursive definition every time:
In[4]:= expect == Nest[With[{B = #, n = Length[#] + 1}, Join[B, b /.
Solve[Sum[Binomial[n, k]*Part[Append[B, b], k + 1], {k, 0, n - 1}] == 0,
b]]] &, {1}, 20]
Out[4]= True
However, with a little effort it is possible solve for BernoulliB[n - 1]
this way:
In[5]:= Solve[Sum[Binomial[n, k]*BernoulliB[k], {k, 0, n - 1}] ==
Sum[Binomial[n, k]*BernoulliB[k], {k, 0, n - 2}] +
Sum[Binomial[n, k]*BernoulliB[k], {k, n - 1, n - 1}], BernoulliB[n - 1]]
Out[5]= {{BernoulliB[-1 + n] -> -(Sum[BernoulliB[k] Binomial[n, k],
{k, 0, -2 + n}]/n)}}
Now, still using Nest to build the list of Bernoulli numbers, we have:
In[6]:= expect == Nest[With[{B = #, n = Length[#] + 1}, Append[B,
Sum[Binomial[n, k]*B[[k + 1]], {k, 0, n - 2}]/-n]] &, {1}, 20]
Out[6]= True
It is also possible to use Dot instead of Sum giving in an even simpler
expression:
In[7]:= expect == Nest[With[{B = #, n = Length[#] + 1}, Append[B,
Binomial[n, Range[0, n - 2]].B/-n]] &, {1}, 20]
Out[7]= True
Note that since Binomial[n, k] == n!/k!/(n-k)! then Binomial[n, k]/-n can
also be written as -(n-1)!/k!/(n-k)!
Enjoy!
"David Turner" <DTurner at faulkner.edu> wrote in message
news:j8r9gv$3jd$1 at smc.vnet.net...
> Hello,
>
> I wish to compute several Bernoulli numbers, say B0 through B20. The
Bernoulli numbers are defined recursively by
>
> B0 = 1, and Solve[Sum[Binomial[n,k]*Bk,{k,0,n-1}]==0,Bn-1] for n > 1
>
> I am trying to compute these numbers in some type of loop, and display
them in a table. Any help is greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> David
>
> _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_
>
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