05/07/2008, 12:57 AM
Also, just to be clear, if you were wondering where the 6 came from in:
\(
(e^x-1)^{\circ t}(x) = \text{dxp}^{\circ t}(x)
= \sum_{k=0}^{\infty} \frac{t^k x^{k+1}}{2^k}
+ \sum_{k=0}^{\infty} \frac{t^k x^{k+2}H^{(2)}_k}{-6\cdot2^k}
+ \cdots
\)
in this post, I thought I'd explain. According to the generating function above, this should all be the same, only with \( f_2=1/2! \) and \( f_3=1/3! \). So if we plug these into the formula above we find that:
\( \left(f_2 - \frac{f_3}{f_3}\right)
= \left(\frac{1}{2} - \frac{1/6}{1/2}\right)
= \left(\frac{3}{6} - \frac{2}{6}\right)
= \frac{1}{6} \)
so thats where the 6 comes from. The negative actually comes from the harmonic numbers, since:
\( \frac{\log(1-x)}{(1-x)} = -\sum_{n=0}^{\infty} H_n x^n \) and
\( \frac{\log(1-x)}{(1-x)^2} = -\sum_{n=0}^{\infty} H_n^{(2)} x^n \).
\( \frac{\log(1-x)}{(1-x)^k} = -\sum_{n=0}^{\infty} H_n^{(k)} x^n \).
I think this might actually be the generating function for all \( H_n^{(k)} \) but I can't find a reference for this. The only place I have found that goes into depth into this kind of generalized harmonic number is MathWorld, although apparently Conway and Guy go into detail, I'll have to read their book again to find out...
Andrew Robbins
\(
(e^x-1)^{\circ t}(x) = \text{dxp}^{\circ t}(x)
= \sum_{k=0}^{\infty} \frac{t^k x^{k+1}}{2^k}
+ \sum_{k=0}^{\infty} \frac{t^k x^{k+2}H^{(2)}_k}{-6\cdot2^k}
+ \cdots
\)
in this post, I thought I'd explain. According to the generating function above, this should all be the same, only with \( f_2=1/2! \) and \( f_3=1/3! \). So if we plug these into the formula above we find that:
\( \left(f_2 - \frac{f_3}{f_3}\right)
= \left(\frac{1}{2} - \frac{1/6}{1/2}\right)
= \left(\frac{3}{6} - \frac{2}{6}\right)
= \frac{1}{6} \)
so thats where the 6 comes from. The negative actually comes from the harmonic numbers, since:
\( \frac{\log(1-x)}{(1-x)} = -\sum_{n=0}^{\infty} H_n x^n \) and
\( \frac{\log(1-x)}{(1-x)^2} = -\sum_{n=0}^{\infty} H_n^{(2)} x^n \).
\( \frac{\log(1-x)}{(1-x)^k} = -\sum_{n=0}^{\infty} H_n^{(k)} x^n \).
I think this might actually be the generating function for all \( H_n^{(k)} \) but I can't find a reference for this. The only place I have found that goes into depth into this kind of generalized harmonic number is MathWorld, although apparently Conway and Guy go into detail, I'll have to read their book again to find out...
Andrew Robbins

