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Tools for special functions and special numbers Graduate Student - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Tools for special functions and special numbers Graduate Student Colloquium Tulane University, New Orleans Armin Straub October 15, 2013 University of Illinois & Max-Planck-Institut at UrbanaChampaign f ur Mathematik, Bonn ISC


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SLIDE 1

Tools for special functions and special numbers

Graduate Student Colloquium Tulane University, New Orleans Armin Straub October 15, 2013 University of Illinois

at Urbana–Champaign

& Max-Planck-Institut

f¨ ur Mathematik, Bonn

ISC — PSLQ — OEIS — CAD — WZ

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 1 / 26
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SLIDE 2

THE TOOLS TODAY

ISC

Inverse Symbolic Calculator

PSLQ

Lattice Reduction Algorithm

OEIS

On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences

CAD

Cylindrical Algebraic Decomposition

WZ

Wilf–Zeilberger Theory

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 2 / 26
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SLIDE 3

Random walks

  • We study random walks in the plane

consisting of n steps. Each step is of length 1 and is taken in a randomly chosen direction.

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 3 / 26
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SLIDE 4

Random walks

  • We study random walks in the plane

consisting of n steps. Each step is of length 1 and is taken in a randomly chosen direction.

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 3 / 26
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SLIDE 5

Random walks

  • We study random walks in the plane

consisting of n steps. Each step is of length 1 and is taken in a randomly chosen direction.

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 3 / 26
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SLIDE 6

Random walks

  • We study random walks in the plane

consisting of n steps. Each step is of length 1 and is taken in a randomly chosen direction.

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 3 / 26
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SLIDE 7

Random walks

  • We study random walks in the plane

consisting of n steps. Each step is of length 1 and is taken in a randomly chosen direction.

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 3 / 26
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SLIDE 8

Random walks

  • We study random walks in the plane

consisting of n steps. Each step is of length 1 and is taken in a randomly chosen direction.

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 3 / 26
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SLIDE 9

Random walks

d

  • We study random walks in the plane

consisting of n steps. Each step is of length 1 and is taken in a randomly chosen direction.

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 3 / 26
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SLIDE 10

Random walks

d

  • We study random walks in the plane

consisting of n steps. Each step is of length 1 and is taken in a randomly chosen direction.

  • We are interested in the distance

traveled in n steps. For instance, how large is this dis- tance on average?

Q

  • Probability density: pn(x)
Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 3 / 26
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SLIDE 11

Random walks are only about 100 years old

  • Karl Pearson asked for

pn(x) in Nature in 1905.

This famous question coined the term random walk.

Applications include:

  • dispersion of mosquitoes
  • random migration of

micro-organisms

  • phenomenon of laser speckle
Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 4 / 26
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SLIDE 12

Long random walks

pn(x) ≈ 2x n e−x2/n for large n

THM

Rayleigh, 1905

10 20 30 40 50 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06

EG

p200

“

The lesson of Lord Rayleigh’s solution is that in open country the most probable place to find a drunken man who is at all capable of keeping on his feet is somewhere near his starting point!

Karl Pearson, 1905

”

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 5 / 26
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SLIDE 13

Densities of short walks

p2

0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8

p3

0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7

p4

1 2 3 4 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5

p5

1 2 3 4 5 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35

p6

1 2 3 4 5 6 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35

p7

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 6 / 26
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SLIDE 14

Densities of short walks

p2

0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8

p3

0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7

p4

1 2 3 4 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5

p5

1 2 3 4 5 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35

p6

1 2 3 4 5 6 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35

p7

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 6 / 26
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SLIDE 15

Moments

  • The moments of a RV X are E(X), E(X2), E(X3), . . .
  • If X has probability density f(x) then

E(Xs) = ∞

−∞

xsf(x) dx The moments E(Xs) are analytic in s.

(if, e.g., f(x) is compactly supported)

FACT

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 7 / 26
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SLIDE 16

Moments

  • The moments of a RV X are E(X), E(X2), E(X3), . . .
  • If X has probability density f(x) then

E(Xs) = ∞

−∞

xsf(x) dx The moments E(Xs) are analytic in s.

(if, e.g., f(x) is compactly supported)

FACT

  • Represent the kth step by the complex number e2πixk.
  • The sth moment of the distance after n steps is:

Wn(s) :=

  • [0,1]n
  • n
  • k=1

e2πxki

  • s

dx In particular, Wn(1) is the average distance after n steps.

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 7 / 26
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SLIDE 17

Average distance traveled in two steps

  • Numerically: W2(1) ≈ 1.2732395447351626862
Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 8 / 26
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SLIDE 18

Average distance traveled in two steps

  • Numerically: W2(1) ≈ 1.2732395447351626862
Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 8 / 26
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SLIDE 19

Average distance traveled in two steps

  • Numerically: W2(1) ≈ 1.2732395447351626862
Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 8 / 26
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SLIDE 20

Average distance traveled in two steps

  • Numerically: W2(1) ≈ 1.2732395447351626862
Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 8 / 26
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SLIDE 21

The simple two-step case confirmed

  • The average distance in two steps:

W2(1) = 1 1

  • e2πix + e2πiy

dxdy = ?

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 9 / 26
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SLIDE 22

The simple two-step case confirmed

  • The average distance in two steps:

W2(1) = 1 1

  • e2πix + e2πiy

dxdy = ? = 1

  • 1 + e2πiy

dy

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 9 / 26
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SLIDE 23

The simple two-step case confirmed

  • The average distance in two steps:

W2(1) = 1 1

  • e2πix + e2πiy

dxdy = ? = 1

  • 1 + e2πiy

dy = 1 2 cos(πy)dy

  • 1 + e2πiy
  • =
  • 1 + (cos πy + i sin πy)2
  • = 2 cos(πy)
Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 9 / 26
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SLIDE 24

The simple two-step case confirmed

  • The average distance in two steps:

W2(1) = 1 1

  • e2πix + e2πiy

dxdy = ? = 1

  • 1 + e2πiy

dy = 1 2 cos(πy)dy = 4 π ≈ 1.27324

  • 1 + e2πiy
  • =
  • 1 + (cos πy + i sin πy)2
  • = 2 cos(πy)
Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 9 / 26
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SLIDE 25

The simple two-step case confirmed

  • The average distance in two steps:

W2(1) = 1 1

  • e2πix + e2πiy

dxdy = ? = 1

  • 1 + e2πiy

dy = 1 2 cos(πy)dy = 4 π ≈ 1.27324

  • Mathematica 7 and Maple 14 think the double integral is 0.

Better: Mathematica 8 and 9 just don’t evaluate the double integral.

  • 1 + e2πiy
  • =
  • 1 + (cos πy + i sin πy)2
  • = 2 cos(πy)
Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 9 / 26
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SLIDE 26

The simple two-step case confirmed

  • The average distance in two steps:

W2(1) = 1 1

  • e2πix + e2πiy

dxdy = ? = 1

  • 1 + e2πiy

dy = 1 2 cos(πy)dy = 4 π ≈ 1.27324

  • Mathematica 7 and Maple 14 think the double integral is 0.

Better: Mathematica 8 and 9 just don’t evaluate the double integral.

  • This is the average length of a random arc on a

unit circle.

  • 1 + e2πiy
  • =
  • 1 + (cos πy + i sin πy)2
  • = 2 cos(πy)
Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 9 / 26
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SLIDE 27

Moments of random walks

The sth moment Wn(s) of the density pn: Wn(s) := ∞ xspn(x) dx =

  • [0,1]n
  • e2πix1 + . . . + e2πixn

s dx

DEF

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 10 / 26
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SLIDE 28

Moments of random walks

The sth moment Wn(s) of the density pn: Wn(s) := ∞ xspn(x) dx =

  • [0,1]n
  • e2πix1 + . . . + e2πixn

s dx

DEF

  • On a desktop:

W3(1) ≈ 1.57459723755189365749 W4(1) ≈ 1.79909248 W5(1) ≈ 2.00816

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 10 / 26
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SLIDE 29

Moments of random walks

The sth moment Wn(s) of the density pn: Wn(s) := ∞ xspn(x) dx =

  • [0,1]n
  • e2πix1 + . . . + e2πixn

s dx

DEF

  • On a desktop:

W3(1) ≈ 1.57459723755189365749 W4(1) ≈ 1.79909248 W5(1) ≈ 2.00816

  • On a supercomputer:

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 256 cores

W5(1) ≈ 2.0081618

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 10 / 26
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SLIDE 30

Moments of random walks

The sth moment Wn(s) of the density pn: Wn(s) := ∞ xspn(x) dx =

  • [0,1]n
  • e2πix1 + . . . + e2πixn

s dx

DEF

  • On a desktop:

W3(1) ≈ 1.57459723755189365749 W4(1) ≈ 1.79909248 W5(1) ≈ 2.00816

  • On a supercomputer:

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 256 cores

W5(1) ≈ 2.0081618

  • Hard to evaluate numerically to high precision.

Monte-Carlo integration gives approximations with an asymptotic error of O(1/ √ N) where N is the number of sample points.

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 10 / 26
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SLIDE 31

Moments of random walks

The sth moment Wn(s) of the density pn: Wn(s) := ∞ xspn(x) dx =

  • [0,1]n
  • e2πix1 + . . . + e2πixn

s dx

DEF

n s = 1 s = 2 s = 3 s = 4 s = 5 s = 6 s = 7 2 1.273 2.000 3.395 6.000 10.87 20.00 37.25 3 1.575 3.000 6.452 15.00 36.71 93.00 241.5 4 1.799 4.000 10.12 28.00 82.65 256.0 822.3 5 2.008 5.000 14.29 45.00 152.3 545.0 2037. 6 2.194 6.000 18.91 66.00 248.8 996.0 4186.

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 10 / 26
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SLIDE 32

Moments of random walks

The sth moment Wn(s) of the density pn: Wn(s) := ∞ xspn(x) dx =

  • [0,1]n
  • e2πix1 + . . . + e2πixn

s dx

DEF

n s = 1 s = 2 s = 3 s = 4 s = 5 s = 6 s = 7 2 1.273 2.000 3.395 6.000 10.87 20.00 37.25 3 1.575 3.000 6.452 15.00 36.71 93.00 241.5 4 1.799 4.000 10.12 28.00 82.65 256.0 822.3 5 2.008 5.000 14.29 45.00 152.3 545.0 2037. 6 2.194 6.000 18.91 66.00 248.8 996.0 4186. W2(1) = 4

π

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 10 / 26
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SLIDE 33

Moments of random walks

The sth moment Wn(s) of the density pn: Wn(s) := ∞ xspn(x) dx =

  • [0,1]n
  • e2πix1 + . . . + e2πixn

s dx

DEF

n s = 1 s = 2 s = 3 s = 4 s = 5 s = 6 s = 7 2 1.273 2.000 3.395 6.000 10.87 20.00 37.25 3 1.575 3.000 6.452 15.00 36.71 93.00 241.5 4 1.799 4.000 10.12 28.00 82.65 256.0 822.3 5 2.008 5.000 14.29 45.00 152.3 545.0 2037. 6 2.194 6.000 18.91 66.00 248.8 996.0 4186. W2(1) = 4

π

W3(1) = 1.57459723755189 . . . = ?

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 10 / 26
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SLIDE 34

Moments of random walks

The sth moment Wn(s) of the density pn: Wn(s) := ∞ xspn(x) dx =

  • [0,1]n
  • e2πix1 + . . . + e2πixn

s dx

DEF

n s = 1 s = 2 s = 3 s = 4 s = 5 s = 6 s = 7 2 1.273 2.000 3.395 6.000 10.87 20.00 37.25 3 1.575 3.000 6.452 15.00 36.71 93.00 241.5 4 1.799 4.000 10.12 28.00 82.65 256.0 822.3 5 2.008 5.000 14.29 45.00 152.3 545.0 2037. 6 2.194 6.000 18.91 66.00 248.8 996.0 4186. W2(1) = 4

π

W3(1) = 1.57459723755189 . . . = ? For instance, the sequence W3(2k) is 1, 3, 15, 93, 639, 4653, . . .

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 10 / 26
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SLIDE 35

The integer sequence database

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 11 / 26
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SLIDE 36

The integer sequence database

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 11 / 26
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SLIDE 37

Advertisement

  • Based on the observation that

W3(2k) =

k

  • j=0

k j 22j j

  • ,

knowledge of modular forms allows us to deduce: W3(1) = 3 16 21/3 π4 Γ6 1 3

  • + 27

4 22/3 π4 Γ6 2 3

  • = 1.57459723755189 . . .

THM

Borwein- Nuyens- S-Wan, 2010

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 12 / 26
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SLIDE 38

Modular forms

“

Modular forms are functions on the complex plane that are in-

  • rdinately symmetric. They satisfy so many internal symmetries

that their mere existence seem like accidents. But they do exist.

Barry Mazur (BBC Interview, “The Proof”, 1997)

”

Actions of γ = a b

c d

  • ∈ SL2(Z):
  • on τ ∈ H by

γ · τ = aτ + b cτ + d,

  • on f : H → C by

(f|kγ)(τ) = (cτ + d)−kf(γ · τ).

DEF

SL2(Z) is generated by T = ( 1 1

0 1 ) and S =

0 −1

1 0

  • .

T · τ = τ + 1, S · τ = −1 τ

EG

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 13 / 26
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SLIDE 39

Modular forms

“

There’s a saying attributed to Eichler that there are five funda- mental operations of arithmetic: addition, subtraction, multipli- cation, division, and modular forms.

Andrew Wiles (BBC Interview, “The Proof”, 1997)

”

A function f : H → C is a modular form of weight k if

  • f|kγ = f for all γ ∈ SL2(Z),
  • f is holomorphic (including at the cusp i∞).

DEF

f(τ + 1) = f(τ), τ −kf(−1/τ) = f(τ).

EG

  • Similarly, MFs w.r.t. finite-index Γ SL2(Z)
  • Spaces of MFs finite dimensional, Hecke operators, . . .
Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 14 / 26
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SLIDE 40

Modular forms: a prototypical example

  • The Dedekind eta function

(q = e2πiτ)

η(τ) = q1/24

n1

(1 − qn) transforms as η(τ + 1) = eπi/12η(τ), η(−1/τ) = √ −iτη(τ). ∆(τ) = (2π)12η(τ)24 is a modular form of weight 12.

EG

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 15 / 26
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SLIDE 41

Modularity of the three-step moments

  • The even moments

1, 3, 15, 93, 639, . . .

W3(2k) =

k

  • j=0

k j 22j j

  • have the modular parametrization

η6(2τ)η(3τ) η3(τ)η2(6τ)

modular form

=

  • k0

W3(2k) η(τ)η2(6τ) η2(2τ)η(3τ) 4k

modular function

.

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 16 / 26
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SLIDE 42

Modularity of the three-step moments

  • The even moments

1, 3, 15, 93, 639, . . .

W3(2k) =

k

  • j=0

k j 22j j

  • have the modular parametrization

η6(2τ)η(3τ) η3(τ)η2(6τ)

modular form

=

  • k0

W3(2k) η(τ)η2(6τ) η2(2τ)η(3τ) 4k

modular function

. The values of modular functions at quadratic irrationalities τ ∈ Q( √ −d) are algebraic!

PSLQ predicts that for the above modular function x(τ), the value x(i/3) ≈ 0.52754 has minimal polynomial 1 − 6x4 − 24x6 − 3x8.

EG

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 16 / 26
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SLIDE 43

Integer relation algorithms

  • How does the ISC recognize numbers?
Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 17 / 26
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SLIDE 44

Integer relation algorithms

  • How does the ISC recognize numbers?
  • PSLQ takes numbers x = (x1, x2, . . . , xn) and tries to find integers

m = (m1, m2, . . . , mn), not all zero, such that x · m = m1x1 + . . . + mnxn = 0. The vector m is called an integer relation for x.

In case that no relation is found, PSLQ provides a lower bound for the norm of any potential integer relation.

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 17 / 26
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SLIDE 45

Integer relation algorithms

  • How does the ISC recognize numbers?
  • PSLQ takes numbers x = (x1, x2, . . . , xn) and tries to find integers

m = (m1, m2, . . . , mn), not all zero, such that x · m = m1x1 + . . . + mnxn = 0. The vector m is called an integer relation for x.

In case that no relation is found, PSLQ provides a lower bound for the norm of any potential integer relation.

Is x = 0.31783724519578224473 . . . algebraic?

In[1]:= PSLQ[{1, x, x2, x3, x4}] Out[1]= {1, 0, −10, 0, 1}

That is, x likely has minimal polynomial 1 − 10x2 + x4.

Therefore, x = √ 3 − √ 2. EG

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 17 / 26
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SLIDE 46

Using PSLQ to find functional relations

  • A well-known fact: sin((2n − 1)x) is a linear combination of

sin(x), sin3(x), . . . , sin2n−1(x)

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 18 / 26
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SLIDE 47

Using PSLQ to find functional relations

  • A well-known fact: sin((2n − 1)x) is a linear combination of

sin(x), sin3(x), . . . , sin2n−1(x)

In[1]:= With[{x = 1}, PSLQ[

N[{Sin[5x], Sin[x], Sin[x]3, Sin[x]5}, 20]]]

Out[1]= {−1, 5, −20, 16}

In other words, sin(5x) = 5 sin(x) − 20 sin3(x) + 16 sin5(x).

EG

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 18 / 26
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SLIDE 48

Cylindrical Algebraic Decomposition

Arithmetic mean geometric mean

In[1]:= CylindricalDecomposition[(a+b)/2 Sqrt[ab], {a, b}] Out[1]= a 0 ∧ b 0

EG

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 19 / 26
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SLIDE 49

Cylindrical Algebraic Decomposition

Arithmetic mean geometric mean

In[1]:= CylindricalDecomposition[(a+b)/2 Sqrt[ab], {a, b}] Out[1]= a 0 ∧ b 0

EG

If the sum of four positive numbers is 4c and the sum of their squares is 8c2, then none of the numbers can exceed (1 + √ 3)c.

EG

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 19 / 26
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SLIDE 50

Cylindrical Algebraic Decomposition

Arithmetic mean geometric mean

In[1]:= CylindricalDecomposition[(a+b)/2 Sqrt[ab], {a, b}] Out[1]= a 0 ∧ b 0

EG

If the sum of four positive numbers is 4c and the sum of their squares is 8c2, then none of the numbers can exceed (1 + √ 3)c.

In[2]:= CylindricalDecomposition[Exists[{a2, a3, a4},

a1 a2 a3 a4 > 0 ∧ a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 == 4c ∧ a2

1 + a2 2 + a2 3 + a2 4 == 8c2], {c, a1}]

Out[2]= c > 0 ∧ 2c < a1 (1 +

√ 3)c

EG

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 19 / 26
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SLIDE 51

Positivity of rational functions

  • A rational function

F(x1, . . . , xd) =

  • n1,...,nd0

an1,...,ndxn1

1 · · · xnd d

is positive if an1,...,nd > 0 for all indices.

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 20 / 26
slide-52
SLIDE 52

Positivity of rational functions

  • A rational function

F(x1, . . . , xd) =

  • n1,...,nd0

an1,...,ndxn1

1 · · · xnd d

is positive if an1,...,nd > 0 for all indices. An obviously positive rational function: 1 1 − x − y + xy = 1 (1 − x)(1 − y)

EG

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 20 / 26
slide-53
SLIDE 53

Positivity of rational functions

  • A rational function

F(x1, . . . , xd) =

  • n1,...,nd0

an1,...,ndxn1

1 · · · xnd d

is positive if an1,...,nd > 0 for all indices. An obviously positive rational function: 1 1 − x − y + xy = 1 (1 − x)(1 − y)

EG

1 1 − x − y + λxy is positive if and only if λ 1.

THM

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 20 / 26
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SLIDE 54

Positivity of rational functions

  • A rational function

F(x1, . . . , xd) =

  • n1,...,nd0

an1,...,ndxn1

1 · · · xnd d

is positive if an1,...,nd > 0 for all indices. An obviously positive rational function: 1 1 − x − y + xy = 1 (1 − x)(1 − y)

EG

The following rational function is positive: 1 1 − (x + y + z + w) + 2

3(xy + xz + xw + yz + yw + zw)

This is a rescaled version of 1/e2(1 − x, 1 − y, 1 − z, 1 − w). CONJ

Askey– Gasper 1972

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 20 / 26
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SLIDE 55

Positivity of rational functions

The Askey–Gasper rational function A(x, y, z) and the Szeg˝

  • rational function S(x, y, z) are positive.

A(x, y, z) = 1 1 − (x + y + z) + 4xyz S(x, y, z) = 1 1 − (x + y + z) + 3

4(xy + yz + zx)

EG

There is a positivity-preserving operator T such that T ·A = S.

THM

S 2007

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 21 / 26
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SLIDE 56

Positivity of rational functions

The Askey–Gasper rational function A(x, y, z) and the Szeg˝

  • rational function S(x, y, z) are positive.

A(x, y, z) = 1 1 − (x + y + z) + 4xyz S(x, y, z) = 1 1 − (x + y + z) + 3

4(xy + yz + zx)

EG

There is a positivity-preserving operator T such that T ·A = S.

THM

S 2007

The diagonal Taylor terms of A are given by [xnynzn]A(x, y, z) =

n

  • k=0

n k 3 .

By WZ, both sides satisfy the recurrence (n + 1)2an+1 = (7n2 + 7n + 2)an + 8n2an−1. EG

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 21 / 26
slide-57
SLIDE 57

Positivity of rational functions

The diagonal Taylor terms of S(2x, 2y, 2z), namely 1, 12, 198, 3720, 75690, 1626912, . . . , satisfy the recurrence

2(n + 1)2sn+1 = 3

  • 27n2 + 27n + 8
  • sn − 81(3n − 1)(3n + 1)sn−1.

EG

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 22 / 26
slide-58
SLIDE 58

Positivity of rational functions

The diagonal Taylor terms of S(2x, 2y, 2z), namely 1, 12, 198, 3720, 75690, 1626912, . . . , satisfy the recurrence

2(n + 1)2sn+1 = 3

  • 27n2 + 27n + 8
  • sn − 81(3n − 1)(3n + 1)sn−1.

EG

To prove positivity from the recurrence, apply CAD to the formula (∀n, A, B) n 1, A 0, B λA = ⇒ C λB where 2(n + 1)2C = 3(27n2 + 27n + 8)B − 81(3n − 1)(3n + 1)A.

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 22 / 26
slide-59
SLIDE 59

Positivity of rational functions

The diagonal Taylor terms of S(2x, 2y, 2z), namely 1, 12, 198, 3720, 75690, 1626912, . . . , satisfy the recurrence

2(n + 1)2sn+1 = 3

  • 27n2 + 27n + 8
  • sn − 81(3n − 1)(3n + 1)sn−1.

EG

To prove positivity from the recurrence, apply CAD to the formula (∀n, A, B) n 1, A 0, B λA = ⇒ C λB where 2(n + 1)2C = 3(27n2 + 27n + 8)B − 81(3n − 1)(3n + 1)A.

In[1]:= With[{C = . . .},

CylindricalDecomposition[ForAll[{n, A, B}, n 1 ∧ B λA ∧ A 0, C λB], {λ}]]

Out[1]= 27/2 λ 3/8(31 +

√ 385)

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 22 / 26
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SLIDE 60

Positivity of rational functions

  • The Kauers–Zeilberger rational function

1 1 − (x + y + z + w) + 2(yzw + xzw + xyw + xyz) + 4xyzw is conjectured to be positive.

  • Its positivity implies the positivity of the Askey–Gasper function

1 1 − (x + y + z + w) + 2

3(xy + xz + xw + yz + yw + zw).

The Kauers–Zeilberger function has diagonal coefficients dn =

n

  • k=0

n k 22k n 2 .

PROP

S-Zudilin 2013

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 23 / 26
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SLIDE 61

Positivity of rational functions

Under what condition(s) is the positivity of a rational function h(x1, . . . , xd) = 1 d

k=0 ckek(x1, . . . , xd)

implied by the positivity of its diagonal?

Q

  • Is the positivity of h(x1, . . . , xd−1, 0) a sufficient condition?

1 1+x+y has positive diagonal coefficients but is not positive.

EG

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 24 / 26
slide-62
SLIDE 62

Positivity of rational functions

Under what condition(s) is the positivity of a rational function h(x1, . . . , xd) = 1 d

k=0 ckek(x1, . . . , xd)

implied by the positivity of its diagonal?

Q

  • Is the positivity of h(x1, . . . , xd−1, 0) a sufficient condition?

1 1+x+y has positive diagonal coefficients but is not positive.

EG

h(x, y) = 1 1 + c1(x + y) + c2xy is positive iff h(x, 0) and the diagonal of h(x, y) are positive.

THM

S-Zudilin 2013

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 24 / 26
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SLIDE 63

Drunken birds

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 25 / 26
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SLIDE 64

Drunken birds

“

A drunk man will find his way home, but a drunk bird may get lost forever.

Shizuo Kakutani, 1911–2004 ”

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 25 / 26
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SLIDE 65

THANK YOU!

Slides for this talk will be available from my website: http://arminstraub.com/talks

  • A. Straub, W. Zudilin

Positivity of rational functions and their diagonals Preprint, 2013

  • J. Borwein, A. Straub, J. Wan, W. Zudilin (appendix by D. Zagier)

Densities of short uniform random walks Canadian Journal of Mathematics, Vol. 64, Nr. 5, 2012, p. 961-990

  • J. Borwein, D. Nuyens, A. Straub, J. Wan

Some arithmetic properties of short random walk integrals The Ramanujan Journal, Vol. 26, Nr. 1, 2011, p. 109-132

  • A. Straub

Positivity of Szeg¨

  • ’s rational function

Advances in Applied Mathematics, Vol. 41, Issue 2, Aug 2008, p. 255-264

Tools for special functions and special numbers Armin Straub 26 / 26