Evaluating B(3/4,5/4) without the Legendre duplication formula

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Suppose that one wanted to evaluate $B(3/4,5/4)$ where $B$ is the beta function. One approach is as follows.

$$B(3/4,5/4)=\frac{\Gamma(3/4)\Gamma(5/4)}{\Gamma(3/4 + 5/4)}=\Gamma(3/4)\Gamma(5/4).$$

There is an identity, the Legendre duplication formula, $\Gamma(z)\Gamma(z+1/2)=2^{1-2z}\sqrt{\pi}\Gamma(2z)$, and applying this with $z=3/4$ we get that our function equals $2^{-1/2}\sqrt{\pi}\Gamma(3/2)$. Since $\Gamma(3/2)=(1/2)\Gamma(1/2)=\sqrt{\pi}/2$, we get a final answer of $\frac{\pi}{2\sqrt{2}}$.

Is there a more direct way to get this result? The integral formulas for the beta function all see to give horrible messes, e.g., $2\int_0^{\pi/2} \sin(\theta)^{1/2}\cos(\theta)^{3/2}\,\mathrm{d}\theta$, and I don't see a reasonable substitution to make for that.

Best Answer

A way to solve the Beta-function without applying clever identities will be provided in this answer.

We want to evaluate $$\operatorname{B}[3/4,5/4] = \int\limits_{0}^{1}t^{3/4-1}(1-t)^{5/4-1}\,\mathrm{d}t=\int\limits_{0}^{1}\frac{\sqrt[4]{1-t}}{\sqrt[4]{t}}\,\mathrm{d}t.$$ Substituting $u=\frac{\sqrt[4]{t}}{\sqrt[4]{1-t}}$ will give us $$4\int\limits_{0}^{\infty}\frac{u^2}{(u^4+1)^2}.$$ From now on there are many ways to proceed. I believe you want to get to the $\arctan$ integral somehow. Splitting up the denomitor, Ostrogradski method, complex analysis are the first ones that come to my mind.

Edit: I would do it via complex analysis. You can add a semi-circle and show that the integral over it goes to zero. Then you have to calculate the residues.