Questions tagged [harmonic-numbers]

For questions regarding harmonic numbers, which are partial sums of the harmonic series. The $N$-th harmonic number is the sum of reciprocals of the first $N$ natural numbers.

The $n$-th harmonic number $H_n$ is defined by

$$H_n = \sum\limits_{k = 1}^n \frac{1}{k}$$

The harmonic numbers are important in various fields of number theory, and have been studied since antiquity. The harmonic numbers are known to grow slowly, tending to infinity at roughly the same rate as the natural logarithm: $$H_n\propto \gamma +\ln(n)$$ Where $\gamma$ is the

The definition of harmonic numbers can also be extended to the complex plane: $$H_z=\gamma+\psi(z+1)$$ Where $\psi(z)$ is the


Generalized harmonic numbers are also defined: $$H_{n}^{(m)}:=\sum_{k=1}^{n}\frac{1}{k^m}$$

The definition of generalized harmonic numbers can also be extended to the complex plane:

$$H_{z}^{(s)}:=\zeta(s)-\zeta(s,z+1)$$ Where $\zeta(s)$ is the and $\zeta(s,z)$ is the Hurwitz zeta function.

References:

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Prove A New Method For Finding Primes.

I was recently messing around with harmonic numbers - that is $H_x = \sum^x_{k=1}\frac{1}{k}$ - and I was thinking what would happen if you applied Gauss' trick to the sum, which is to add up the first and last term, then the second and…
user366469
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Harmonic number inequality

With the $n$th harmonic number defined as $$ H_n = \sum\limits_{k = 1}^n {\frac{1}{k}} $$ I'm supposed to find the minimum EXACT value of $n$ such that $H_n>100$ . I could only find approximations, but my professor demands an exact value . Is…
artmath
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Proof of an exact formula for $H_n$

The $n$th harmonic number $H_n$ is defined as $$H_n=\sum_{n\geq k\geq 1}\frac{1}{k}$$ A good approximation for this is $$H_n\approx \gamma+\log n +\frac{1}{2n}$$ Where $\gamma$ is the Euler-Mascheroni constant. In the book Table of integrals,…
user834302
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Is there a general formula for harmonic number at present?

New to stackexchange. Known harmonic numbers are defined as $$ H_n= \sum _ {i = 1}^n\frac {1} {i}$$ Is the series above similar to the general term formula of $ \sum _ {i = 1}^n i= n (n+1)/2$?
user743142
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Difference between two harmonic numbers when n is not infinite

I need to compute the difference between two harmonic number, in particular : $H_n - H_{n-pn}$ and i see in this answer Calculating/Estimating difference between Harmonic numbers that $H_n = ln(n) + C + o(1)$ where C is the Euler-Mascheroni…
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How to define the $r$th harmonic number if $r$ is any real number?

What would be the value of $$\sum_{k=1}^{\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}}\frac{1}{k}$$ Is it $H_{\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}}$? Using different definitions of harmonic numbers this question can be computed, but can I use the usual definition of harmonic numbers for…
user715522
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Is function $f(x)$ same as floor function?

Let $$f(x)=\lim_{n\to\infty}\text{Im}\left( -\frac{2\lfloor n\rfloor}{\pi}H_{-x}^{\left( -\frac1{2\lfloor n \rfloor} \right)} \right)$$ where $H$ is harmonic number and $x\in\mathbb{R}^+$. I do not know much about harmonic numbers, but I am…
user164524
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Harmonic number denominator divisibilty proof

I'm looking for the complete proof (in a textbook preferably) of harmonic number $H_n$ denominator being divisible by all primes $p\in\left[\frac{n+1}{2},n\right]$. I found one by induction in Exploring Euler's Constant by Julian Havil. However, I…
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If Zeno could drive: Traveling at a speed (in miles per hour) that always exactly matches the distance (in miles) to the destination

As I was driving on the highway this afternoon, I thought to myself: what if, at each moment, I were to move at a speed that matched exactly the distance I had remaining? As an example, at 60 miles from the destination I would drive at 60 miles per…
nbogs
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Find a reordering of the alternating harmonic sequence such that the limit of the partial sums is $\infty$.

The alternating harmonic series is defined as normal ($a_k = \frac{(-1)^{k+1}}{k}$). Not sure how I could do this, as I would have to include all the positive and negative parts, which has a converging sum.
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Proof why $\frac{1}{n^x}+\frac{1}{(n+1)^x}=\frac{H_{{n+1,x}}}{n^xH_{n,x}}+\frac{H_{{n-1,x}}}{(n+1)^xH_{n,x}}$

I found this in a not very straightforward way, and it seems like a rather strange-looking identity, but there is probably a simple proof. $$\frac{1}{n^x}+\frac{1}{(n+1)^x}=\frac{H_{{n+1,x}}}{n^xH_{n,x}}+\frac{H_{{n-1,x}}}{(n+1)^xH_{n,x}}$$ Where…
tyobrien
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Prove $h(n)\leq h (\lfloor n/2 \rfloor) +1$ where $h(k)$ denotes the $k$th harmonic number

Can someone tell me how to prove that the harmonic numbers $$h(n) = \sum_{k = 1}^n \frac{1}{k}$$ satisfy the inequality $$h(n) \leq h(\lfloor n/2\rfloor) + 1\,?$$
user268192
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What does the function $f(x) = \lim \limits_{n \to \infty} H_{\lfloor xn \rfloor} - H_n$ look like?

I had a homework question asking me to evaluate the series $1 + \frac{1}{2} - 1 + \frac{1}{3} + \frac{1}{4} - \frac{1}{2}...$ Ultimately the solution was just to combine the negative terms with the ones right before them to get a series expansion…
MilesZew
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why is that $H_{k-1/2}-H_k = 2H_{2k}-H_k$?

In "Concrete Mathematics", question number 7.10 involves the factor $H_{k-1/2}-H_k$, which when I look at the answer, it states that the identities is valid: $$ \begin{align} H_{k-1/2}-H_k &= \frac{2}{2k-1}+\cdots+\frac{2}{1} \\ &=…
Bi Ao
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Calculating Harmonic Numbers

I'm hoping someone can confirm if I did this right, is the expression for calculating the nth harmonic number as written below? $$ H_n=\gamma+\lim_{h\to\infty}\left(\ln\left(h\right)-\sum_{k=n+1}^{h}\frac{1}{k} \right) $$
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