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17 views

Dilog

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les classes moyennes
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APPROXIMATION OF THE DILOGARITHM FUNCTION

MEHDI HASSANI

Abstract. InRthis short note, we approximate Dilogarithm function, defined


by dilog(x) = 1x log
1−t
t
dt. Letting
N 1 1
1 π2 X
n2
+n
log x
D(x, N ) = − log2 x − + ,
2 6 n=1
xn
we show that for every x > 1, the inequalities
1
D(x, N ) < dilog(x) < D(x, N ) +
xN
holds true for all N ∈ N.

Definition. The Dilogarithm function dilog(x) is defined for every x > 0 as follows
[5]: Z x
log t
dilog(x) = dt.
1 1 −t
Expansion. The following expansion holds true when x tends to infinity:
 
1
dilog(x) = D(x, N ) + O ,
xN +1
where
N
1 π 2 X n12 + n1 log x
D(x, N ) = − log2 x − + .
2 6 n=1
xn

Aim of Present Work. The aim of this note is to prove that:


1
0 < dilog(x) − D(x, N ) < N (x > 1, N ∈ N).
x

Lower Bound. For every x > 0 and N ∈ N, let:


L(x, N ) = dilog(x) − D(x, N ).
A simple computation, yields that:
∞
N +1
! !
d x X 1 x X 1
L(x, N ) = log x + < log x + = 0.
dx 1 − x n=0 xn 1 − x n=0 xn
So, L(x, N ) is a strictly decreasing function of the variable x, for every N ∈ N. Con-
sidering L(x, N ) = O xN1+1 , we obtain desired lower bound for the Dilogarithm


function, as follow:
L(x, N ) > lim L(x, N ) = 0.
x→+∞

1991 Mathematics Subject Classification. 33E20.


Key words and phrases. Special function, Dilogarithm function, digamma function,
polygamma function, polylogarithm function, Lerch zeta function.
1
2 MEHDI HASSANI

Upper Bound. For every x > 0 and N ∈ N, let:


1
U(x, N ) = dilog(x) − D(x, N ) − .
xN
First, we observe that
N
π2 X 1 π2
U(1, N ) = − 2
− 1 = Ψ(1, N + 1) − 1 ≤ − 2 < 0,
6 n=1
n 6

in which Ψ(m, x) is the m-th polygamma function, the R ∞m-th derivative of the
digamma function, Ψ(x) = dx d
log Γ(x), with Γ(x) = 0 e−t tx−1 dt (see [1, 2]).
A simple computation, yields that:
N +1
!
d x X 1 N
U(x, N ) = log x + + N +1 .
dx 1 − x n=0 xn x
d
To determine the sign of dx U(x, N ), we distinguish two cases:
log x
 Suppose x > 1. Since, x−1 is strictly decreasing, we have
log x log x
N ≥ 1 = lim > ,
x−1
x→1 x−1
N 1 N
P∞ 1
which is log x > x−1 or equivalently xN +1 log x > n=N +2 xn , and this yields that
d
dx U(x, N ) > 0. So, U(x, N ) is strictly increasing for every N ∈ N. Thus, U(x, N ) <
limx→+∞ U(x, N ) = 0; as desired in this case. Also, note that in this case we obtain
U(x, N ) > U(1, N ) = Ψ(1, N + 1) − 1.

 Suppose 0 < x < 1 and N − log x log x


x−1 ≥ 0. We observe that 1 < x−1 < +∞
PN +1 1 N +2
and n=0 xn = xN1−x d
+1 (1−x) . Considering these facts, we see that dx U(x, N ) and
log x
N− x−1 have same sign; i.e.
   
d log x
sgn U(x, N ) = sgn N − .
dx x−1
Thus, U(x, N ) is increasing and so,
π2
U(x, N ) ≤ lim U(x, N ) = Ψ(1, N + 1) − 1 ≤ − 2 < 0.
x→1− 6

Connection with Other Functions. Using Maple software, we have:


π2
 
1 2 1 log x x−1
D(x, N ) = − log x − + 2 N + − log log x
2 6 N x N xN x
     
1 log x 1 1 1
+ polylog 2, − N Φ , 1, N − N Φ , 2, N ,
x x x x x
in which
∞
X zn
polylog(a, z) = ,
n=1
na
APPROXIMATION OF THE DILOGARITHM FUNCTION 3

is the polylogarithm function of index a at the point z and defined by above series
if |z| < 1, and by analytic continuation otherwise [4]. Also,
∞
X zn
Φ(z, a, v) = ,
n=1
(v + n)a
is the Lerch zeta (or Lerch-Φ) function defined by above series for |z| < 1, with
v 6= 0, −1, −2, · · · , and by analytic continuation, it is extended to the whole complex
z-plane for each value of a and v (see [3, 6]).

References
[1] M. Abramowitz and I.A. Stegun, Handbook of Mathematical Functions: with Formulas,
Graphs, and Mthematical Tables, Dover Publications, 1972.
[2] N.N. Lebedev, Special Functions and their Applications, Translated and edited by Richard
A. Silverman, Dover Publications, New York, 1972.
[3] L. Lewin, Dilogarithms and associated functions, Foreword by J. C. P. Miller, Macdonald,
London, 1958.
[4] Leonard Lewin, Polylogarithms and associated functions, With a foreword by A. J. Van der
Poorten, North-Holland Publishing Co., New York-Amsterdam, 1981.
[5] Eric W. Weisstein. ”Dilogarithm.” From MathWorld–A Wolfram Web Resource.
http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Dilogarithm.html
[6] Eric W. Weisstein. ”Lerch Transcendent.” From MathWorld–A Wolfram Web Resource.
http://mathworld.wolfram.com/LerchTranscendent.html

Institute for Advanced, Studies in Basic Sciences, P.O. Box 45195-1159, Zanjan, Iran.
E-mail address: [email protected]

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