The irrationality exponent $μ(t)$ of an irrational number t, defined using the irrationality measure $1/q^μ$, distinguishes among non-Liouville numbers and is infinite for Liouville numbers. Using the irrationality measure $1/β^q$, we define the "irrationality base" $β(t)$, which distinguishes among Liouville numbers and is 1 for non-Liouville numbers. We give some properties and examples. Assuming a condition on certain linear forms in logarithms, for which we present numerical evidence supplied by P. Sebah, we prove an upper bound on the irrationality base of Euler's constant, $γ$. If $γ$ is irrational and the condition turns out to be false in a certain strong sense, we prove an upper bound on $μ(γ)$.
From Sturmian and Christoffel words we derive a strictly increasing function $Δ:[0,\infty)\to\mathbb{R}$. This function is continuous at every irrational point, while at rational points, left-continuous but not right-continuous. Moreover, it assumes algebraic integers at rationals, and transcendental numbers at irrationals. We also see that the differentiation of $Δ$ distinguishes some irrationality measures of real numbers.
Following earlier results of Sondow, we propose another criterion of irrationality for Euler's constant $γ$. It involves similar linear combinations of logarithm numbers $L\_{n,m}$. To prove that $γ$ is irrational, it suffices to prove that, for some fixed $m$, the distance of $d\_n L\_{n,m}$ ($d\_n$ is the least common multiple of the $n$ first integers) to the set of integers $\mathbf{Z}$ does not converge to 0. A similar result is obtained by replacing logarithms numbers by rational numbers: it gives a sufficient condition involving only rational numbers. Unfortunately, the chaotic behavior…
In math.NT/0307308 we defined the irrationality base of an irrational number and, assuming a stronger hypothesis than the irrationality of Euler's constant, gave a conditional upper bound on its irrationality base. Here we develop the general theory of the irrationality exponent and base, giving formulas and bounds for them using continued fractions and the Fibonacci sequence. A theorem of Jarnik on Diophantine approximation yields numbers with prescribed irrationality measure. By another method we explicitly construct series with prescribed irrationality base. Many examples are given.
We introduce a one-parameter family of series associated to the Riemann $ζ$-function and prove that the values of the elements of this family at integers are linearly independent over the rationals for almost all values of the parameter, where almost all is with respect to any sufficiently nice measure. We also give similar results for the Euler--Mascheroni constant, for $\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{1}{n^n}$ and for $\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{1}{n! +1}$. Finally, specialising the criteria used, we give some new criteria for the irrationality of $ζ(k)$, the Euler--Mascheroni constant and the latter t…
We provide an upper bound on the efficient irrationality exponents of cubic algebraics $x$ with the minimal polynomial $x^3 - tx^2 - a$. In particular, we show that it becomes non-trivial, i.e. better than the classical bound of Liouville in the case $|t| > 19.71 a^{4/3}$. Moreover, under the condition $|t| > 86.58 a^{4/3}$, we provide an explicit lower bound on the expression $||qx||$ for all large $q\in\mathbb{Z}$. These results are based on the recently discovered continued fractions of cubic irrationals and improve the currently best-known bounds of Wakabayashi.
Using an integral of a hypergeometric function, we give necessary and sufficient conditions for irrationality of Euler's constant $γ$. The proof is by reduction to known irrationality criteria for $γ$ involving a Beukers-type double integral. We show that the hypergeometric and double integrals are equal by evaluating them. To do this, we introduce a construction of linear forms in 1, $γ$, and logarithms from Nesterenko-type series of rational functions. In the Appendix, Sergey Zlobin gives a change-of-variables proof that the series and the double integral are equal.
Euler gave recipes for converting alternating series of two types, I and II, into equivalent continued fractions, i.e., ones whose convergents equal the partial sums. A condition we prove for irrationality of a continued fraction then allows easy proofs that $e,\sin1$, and the primorial constant are irrational. Our main result is that, if a series of type II is equivalent to a simple continued fraction, then the sum is transcendental and its irrationality measure exceeds $2$. We construct all $\aleph_0^{\aleph_0}=\mathfrak{c}$ such series and recover the transcendence of the Davison--Shallit a…
By modifying Beukers' proof of Apery's theorem that zeta(3) is irrational, we derive criteria for irrationality of Euler's constant, gamma. For n > 0, we define a double integral I(n) and a positive integer S(n), and prove that if d(n) = LCM(1,...,n), then the fractional part of logS(n) is given by {logS(n)} = d(2n)I(n), for all n sufficiently large, if and only if gamma is a rational number. A corollary is that if {logS(n)} > 1/2^n infinitely often, then gamma is irrational. Indeed, if the inequality holds for a given n (we present numerical evidence for 0 < n < 2500 and n = 10000) and gamma …
A folklore proof of Euclid's theorem on the infinitude of primes uses the Euler product and the irrationality of $ζ(2) = π^2/6$. A quantified form of Euclid's Theorem is Bertrand's postulate $p_{n+1} < 2p_n$. By quantifying the folklore proof using an irrationality measure for $6/π^2$, we give a proof (communicated to Paulo Ribenboim in 2005) of a much weaker upper bound on $p_{n+1}$.
Refinements of Erdős's irrationality criterion for certain sparse infinite series
Institute of Mathematics, University of Tsukuba（筑波大学数学研究所）；Department of Mathematics, Rikkyo University（立教大学数学系）；Graduate School of Science and Technology, Hirosaki University（弘前大学科学技术研究院）
There are only aleph-zero rational numbers, while there are 2 to the power aleph-zero real numbers. Hence the probability that a randomly chosen real number would be rational is 0. Yet proving rigorously that any specific, natural, real constant, is irrational is usually very hard, witness that there are still no proofs of the irrationality of the Euler-Mascheroni constant, the Catalan constant, or Zeta(5). Inspired by Frits Beukers' elegant rendition of Apery's seminal proofs of the irrationality of Zeta(2) and Zeta(3), and heavily using algorithmic proof theory, we systematically searched fo…
The aim of the paper is to relate computational and arithmetic questions about Euler's constant $γ$ with properties of the values of the $q$-logarithm function, with natural choice of $q$. By these means, we generalize a classical formula for $γ$ due to Ramanujan, together with Vacca's and Gosper's series for $γ$, as well as deduce irrationality criteria and tests and new asymptotic formulas for computing Euler's constant. The main tools are Euler-type integrals and hypergeometric series.
It is well known that the arithmetic nature of Mills' prime-representing constant is uncertain: we do not know if Mills' constant is a rational or irrational number. In the case of other prime-representing constants, irrationality can be proved, but it is not known whether these constants are algebraic or transcendental numbers. By using Liouville or Roth's theorems about approximation by rationals, we find a couple of prime-representing constants that can be proved to be transcendental numbers.
Euler wrote a formula expressing that l(n)/n is a completely multiplicative function with sum 0 (a CMO function) , where l(n) is the completely multiplicative function equal to -1 on the prime numbers (the Liouville function). We extend this formula to Beurling generalized numbers, using a result of Diamond. As an application we show how to construct a CMO function carried by a set of integers whose counting function is of the form D x^a (1+o(1) ) for any a between 0 and 1.
Let De_n be the simplicial complex of squarefree positive integers less than or equal to n ordered by divisibility. It is known that the asymptotic rate of growth of its Euler characteristic (the Mertens function) is closely related to deep properties of the prime number system. In this paper we study the asymptotic behavior of the individual Betti numbers and of their sum. We show that De_n has the homotopy type of a wedge of spheres, and that as n tends to infinity: $$\sum \be_k(\De_n) = \frac{2n}{π^2} + O(n^θ),\;\; \mbox{for all} θ> \frac{17}{54}.$$ We also study a CW complex tDe_n that ext…
