Prove that $ -n \int _0 ^1 x^{n-1} \log(1-x)dx$ equals the $n$-th harmonic number

harmonic-numbersintegrationsequences-and-series

From (Almost) Impossible Integrals, Sums, and Series section 1.3:

$$H_n = -n\int _0 ^1 x^{n-1} \log(1-x)dx$$

The proof of which was appetizingly difficult. I was unable to answer the follow-up challenge question, and do not have access to the given solution. It asks:

Is it possible to [prove this equality] with high school knowledge only (supposing we know and use the notation of the harmonic numbers)?

I've been fiddling with the integral on the right for an hour, but that $\log$ really throws a wrench in my plans.

Best Answer

My usual naive plug in and assume everything converges.

$\begin{array}\\ -n\int _0 ^1 x^{n-1} \log(1-x)dx &=n\int _0 ^1 x^{n-1} \sum_{m=1}^{\infty}\dfrac{x^m}{m}dx\\ &=n\sum_{m=1}^{\infty}\dfrac{1}{m}\int _0 ^1 x^{n-1} x^mdx\\ &=n\sum_{m=1}^{\infty}\dfrac{1}{m}\int _0 ^1 x^{n+m-1}dx\\ &=n\sum_{m=1}^{\infty}\dfrac{1}{m}\dfrac1{n+m}\\ &=n\sum_{m=1}^{\infty}\dfrac{1}{m(n+m)}\\ &=n\sum_{m=1}^{\infty}\dfrac1{n}(\dfrac1{m}-\dfrac1{n+m})\\ &=\sum_{m=1}^{\infty}(\dfrac1{m}-\dfrac1{n+m})\\ &=\sum_{m=1}^{\infty}\dfrac1{m}-\sum_{m=1}^{\infty}\dfrac1{n+m}\\ &=\sum_{m=1}^{\infty}\dfrac1{m}-\sum_{m=n+1}^{\infty}\dfrac1{m}\\ &=\sum_{m=1}^{\infty}\dfrac1{m}-\sum_{m=n+1}^{\infty}\dfrac1{m}\\ &=\sum_{m=1}^{n}\dfrac1{m}\\ &=H_n\\ \end{array} $

If you do the same thing with $\log(1+x)$, you get a similar result but it cancels out only for even $n$ - I got $-n\int _0 ^1 x^{n-1} \log(1+x)dx\\ =\sum_{m=1}^{\infty}\dfrac{(-1)^{m+1}}{m}-(-1)^n\sum_{m=n+1}^{\infty}\dfrac{(-1)^{m+1}}{m} $.

In any case, $-n\int _0 ^1 x^{n-1} \log(1+x)dx \to \ln(2) $.

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