Factorial Function – Euler’s Limit Formula

factorialgamma function

In Euler's first (known) letter to Goldbach on October 13, 1729 he mentions an infinite product that interpolates the factorial function:

$$s!=\lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\frac{n!}{\left(s+1\right)\left(s+2\right)\cdots\left(s+n\right)}\left(n+1\right)^{s}$$

for any integer $s$. However this limit exist for all complex $s$ except for the negative integers.

My question is: How did Euler deduce this infinite product?

I've seen how Gauss deduced a very similar formula:

$$\Pi\left(s\right)=\lim_{n\rightarrow\infty}\frac{n!}{\left(s+1\right)\left(s+2\right)\cdots\left(s+n\right)}n^{s}$$

however the method Gauss used doesn't explain how the term $(n+1)^s$ appears in Euler's representation.

Best Answer

Euler, of course, was prolific in his investigation of infinite series and products.

Supposedly, he examined an infinite product with a salient pattern

$$\left(\frac{2^n}{1^n}\frac{1}{n+1}\right)\left(\frac{3^n}{2^n}\frac{2}{n+2}\right)\left(\frac{4^n}{3^n}\frac{3}{n+3}\right)\ldots \ (*)$$

and observed that if $n$ is a positive integer, then the product converges to $n!$.

Using your notation ($s \in \mathbb{N})$, the partial product for $(*)$ can be expressed in the form where $(n+1)^s$ appears

$$P_n(s)=\frac{n!}{(s+1)(s+2)\ldots(s+n)}(n+1)^{s}.$$

After some cancelation and manipulation we get for $n >s,$

$$P_n(s)=s!\left(\frac{1+1/n}{1+2/n}\right)\left(\frac{1+1/n}{1+3/n}\right)\ldots\left(\frac{1+1/n}{1+s/n}\right),$$

and it is apparent that $P_n(s) \rightarrow s!$ as $n\rightarrow \infty.$