Prove $ \prod_{n=1}^{\infty} \left(1+\frac{2}{n}\right)^{(-1)^{n+1}n} \,= \frac{\pi}{2e}$

infinite-productintegrationsequences-and-series

How can I prove that

$$ \prod_{n=1}^{\infty} \left(1+\frac{2}{n}\right)^{\large{(-1)^{n+1}n}} \,= \frac{\pi}{2e}$$

The result is given here (result 48).

The source: Prudnikov et al. 1986, p. 757 is given, however I have been unable to find the book online.

Some of my attempts include:

  1. Multiplying known infinite products for $\frac{\pi}{2}$ and
    $\frac{1}{e}$

$$ \frac{\pi}{2} = \frac{2\cdot2\cdot4\cdot4\cdot6\cdot6\cdots}{1\cdot3\cdot3\cdot5\cdot5\cdot7\cdots} $$
$$ \frac{1}{e} = \frac{1}{2} \left(\frac{3}{4}\right)^{\large{\frac{1}{4}}}\left(\frac{5\cdot7}{6\cdot8}\right)^{\large{\frac{1}{4}}} \cdots$$

as well as others given in https://arxiv.org/pdf/1005.2712.pdf

  1. Trying to find the partial products from ${n=1} $ to $k $, Mathematica Gives:

$$\scriptsize{ \frac{\exp\left(2\left(-\zeta(-1,k+\frac{1}{2})^{(1,0)}+\zeta(-1,k+\frac{3}{2})^{(1,0)}+\zeta(-1,k+1)^{(1,0)}-\zeta(-1,k+2)^{(1,0)}\right)\right)\pi\, \Gamma(k+2)^2}{2\,\Gamma(k+\frac{3}{2})^2}} $$

However, I have been unsuccessful producing partial products on my own.

  1. Taking the $\ln$ of the product to try to find the partial sums;

  2. Trying to transform the following integral into infinite product.

$$\int_{0}^{\infty} \frac{\cos(x)}{1+x^2} = \frac{\pi}{2e} $$

From what I have seen in some papers, the partial products are found, then the Stirling's Approximation is used to find the limit.

Question: How can I prove the value of the given Infinite Product? Proofs or hints are both welcome.

Thank you kindly for your help and time.

Best Answer

This answer is spliced from the paper linked in comments

Melzak (1961) shows that the largest-volume cylinder (Cartesian product of a hypersphere and a line) in an $n$-dimensional unit sphere occupies this proportion of the sphere: $$\rho_n=\frac{2(n\pi)^{-1/2}(1-1/n)^{(n-1)/2}\Gamma(n/2+1)}{\Gamma((n+1)/2)}$$ We have $\rho_2=\frac2\pi$ and $\lim_{n\to\infty}\rho_n=\sqrt{\frac2{\pi e}}$. Now define $$\sigma_n=\frac{\rho_{n+2}}{\rho_n}=\sqrt{\left(\frac n{n+2}\right)^n\left(\frac{n+1}{n-1}\right)^{n-1}}$$ Telescoping on $\sigma_n$ for $n=2,4,6\dots$ then gives $$\sqrt{\frac\pi{2e}}=\prod_{n=1}^\infty\left(\frac n{n+1}\right)^n\left(\frac{2n+1}{2n-1}\right)^{(2n-1)/2}$$ Squaring gives $$\frac\pi{2e}=\prod_{n=1}^\infty\left(\frac {2n}{2n+2}\right)^{2n}\left(\frac{2n+1}{2n-1}\right)^{2n-1}=\prod_{n=1}^\infty(1+2/n)^{(-1)^{n+1}n}$$

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