Sequences and Series – Interesting Sum Involving Binomial Coefficients

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The following sum appears in Brychkov, Marichev, and Prudnikov, Integrals and Series, Vol 1, 4.2.8, #25
$$\sum_{k=1}^n\frac{(-1)^{k+1} 2^{2k}}{k}\binom{n}{k}\binom{2k}{k}^{-1}= 2 H_{2n} – H_n$$

where $H_n$ are the harmonic numbers.

Here is what I've tried:

We have the series expansion:

$$\sum_{n\ge 1} \frac{2^{2n-1} }{n \binom{2n}{n}} x^{2n-1} = \frac{\arcsin x}{\sqrt{1-x^2}}$$

and so

$$\sum_{n\ge 1} \frac{2^{2n-1} }{n \binom{2n}{n}} x^{n} = \frac{\sqrt{x} \arcsin \sqrt{x}}{\sqrt{1-x}}$$

Now we can use the relation between the generating functions for the binomial transform

$$G(x) = \frac{1}{1-x}\cdot F(-\frac{x}{1-x})$$

Now things get a bit fuzzy : it's not clear what will be the expansion after the transformation, and how that involves harmonic numbers.

Also, here is the Taylor expansions involving harmonic numbers

$$\sum_{n\ge 1} H_n x^n= \frac{1}{1-x} \log \frac{1}{1-x}$$

and from here using $x \mapsto \pm \sqrt{x}$ and averaging, we can get the series

$$\sum_{n \ge 1} H_{2n} x^n $$

Any feedback is appreciated!

$\bf{Added:}$ Thank you all for all the great answers! I've learned a lot.

I will try to share a part of what I've learned from your answers:

  1. The binomial transform at the level of (exponential) generating series is very powerful. I have to get more comfortable with formulas.

  2. There are other interesting formulas that use the Beta integrals to express the inverse of binomial coefficients as an integral— very useful.

  3. I've learned a new formula from this question, indicated by @Marko Riedel:

We have the identity in $\alpha$

$$\sum_{k=1}^n \frac{\binom{\alpha + n-k}{n-k}}{\binom{\alpha + n}{n}} \cdot \frac{1}{k} = \sum_{k=1}^n \frac{1}{\alpha + k}$$

This can also be rewritten as

$$\sum_{k=1}^n \frac{\binom{n}{k}}{\binom{\alpha + n}{k}} \cdot \frac{1}{k} = \sum_{k=1}^{n} \frac{1}{\alpha + k}$$

or with $\alpha = \beta- n$,
$$\sum_{k=1}^n \binom{n}{k} \frac{1}{k \binom{\beta}{k} } = \sum_{k=0}^{n-1} \frac{1}{\beta- k}$$

If we take $\alpha = -\frac{1}{2}-n$ in the formula we get our formula ( we have
$\binom{-\frac{1}{2}}{k} = \frac{(-1)^k \binom{2k}{k}}{2^{2k}}$)

$\bf{Added:}$ This formula (slightly modified) at 4.2.8. #27 appears in the Volume but only for natural values of $m$.

Best Answer

Perform the binomial transform (noting that the zeroth term of the original sequence is $0$) and simplify: $$\sum_{n=1}^\infty\frac{2^{2n-1}}{n\binom{2n}n}x^n=\frac{\sqrt x\arcsin\sqrt x}{\sqrt{1-x}}$$ $$\sum_{n=1}^\infty x^n\sum_{k=1}^n\frac{(-1)^k2^{2k-1}}{k\binom{2k}k}\binom nk=\frac1{1-x}\frac{\sqrt{-x/(1-x)}\arcsin\sqrt{-x/(1-x)}}{\sqrt{1+x/(1-x)}}$$ $$=\frac{\sqrt{-x}\arctan\sqrt{-x}}{1-x}$$ $$\sum_{n=1}^\infty x^n\color{blue}{\sum_{k=1}^n\frac{(-1)^{k+1}2^{2k}}{k\binom{2k}k}\binom nk}=\frac{-2\sqrt{-x}\arctan\sqrt{-x}}{1-x}$$ The series expansion of the numerator here is $$-2\sqrt{-x}\arctan\sqrt{-x}=\sum_{n=1}^\infty\frac2{2n-1}x^n$$ so the Cauchy product eventually leads to the desired harmonic sum: $$\frac{-2\sqrt{-x}\arctan\sqrt{-x}}{1-x}=\sum_{n=1}^\infty x^n\sum_{k=1}^n\frac2{2k-1}$$ $$=\sum_{n=1}^\infty x^n\left(\sum_{k=1}^{2n}\frac2k-\sum_{k=1}^n\frac1k\right)=\sum_{n=1}^\infty(\color{blue}{2H_{2n}-H_n})x^n$$ $$\color{blue}{\sum_{k=1}^n\frac{(-1)^{k+1}2^{2k}}{k\binom{2k}k}\binom nk=2H_{2n}-H_n}$$

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