Inequality – Show by Hand: e^(e²) > 1000?

constantsgolden ratioinequalitynumber-comparison

Problem:

Show by hand without any computer assistance:
$$e^{e^2}>1000\phi,$$
where $\phi$ denotes the golden ratio $\frac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2} \approx 1.618034$.

I come across this limit showing:
$$\lim_{x\to 0}x!^{\frac{x!!^{\frac{2}{x!!-1}}}{x!-1}}=e^{e^2}.$$
I cannot show it without knowing some decimals and if so using power series or continued fractions.

It seems challenging and perhaps a tricky calculation is needed.

If you have no restriction on the method, how to show it with pencil and paper ?

Some approach:

We have, using the incomplete gamma function and continued fractions:
$$\int_{e}^{\infty}e^{-e^{-193/139}x^{193/139+2}}dx=\frac{139}{471}\cdot e\cdot\operatorname{Ei}_{332/471}(e^2)>e^{-e^2},$$
where $\operatorname{Ei}$ denotes the exponential integral.

Finding an integral for the golden ratio $\phi$ is needed now.

Following my comment we have :

$$e^{-e^2}<\int_{e}^{\infty}e^{-e^{-193/139}x^{193/139+2}}dx<\int_{e}^{\infty}\frac{e-2}{1000\phi (x-2)^2}dx$$

Where the function in the integral follow the current order for $x\ge e$.As said before use continued fraction of incomplete Gamma function.To finish take the log.

Best Answer

Ok, so my answer works but requires you to:

  1. Be insanely good at arithmetic (so maybe does not meet your criteria of doable by hand)
  2. Know that $\ln 10<\color{red}{2.3026}$ (this might be known to you if you frequently change bases between logarithms, or may be calculated by series expansion)

Edit (D S) :

I noticed that getting a better approximation for $\ln 10$ significantly reduces the work required for $\ln(\phi)$. So here it goes: $$\ln(10) = \ln(2)+\ln(5) = 3\ln(2) + \ln(5/4)$$ $$\begin{align}\ln(2) &= \ln((1+1/3)/(1-1/3)) \\ &= 2\sum_{k=0}^\infty \frac{(1/3)^{2k+1}}{2k+1}\\ &< 2\left(\sum_{k=0}^3 \frac{(1/3)^{2k+1}}{2k+1}\right)+ 2\left(\sum_{k=4}^\infty \frac{(1/3)^{2k+1}}{9}\right) \\ &= 2\left(\sum_{k=0}^3 \frac{(1/3)^{2k+1}}{2k+1}\right)+\frac{(1/3)^9}{4} \\ &= \frac{1910051}{2755620} < 0.693148 \end{align}$$and $$\begin{align}\ln(5/4) &= \ln((1+1/9)/(1-1/9)) \\ &= 2\sum_{k=0}^\infty \frac{(1/9)^{2k+1}}{2k+1}\\ &< 2\left(\sum_{k=0}^2 \frac{(1/9)^{2k+1}}{2k+1}\right)+ 2\left(\sum_{k=3}^\infty \frac{(1/9)^{2k+1}}{7}\right) \\ &= 2\left(\sum_{k=0}^2 \frac{(1/9)^{2k+1}}{2k+1}\right)+ \frac{(1/9)^5}{280} \\ &= \frac{3689393}{16533720}<0.223144 \end{align}$$ Hence $\ln10 < 3\times 0.693148+0.223144 = \color{blue}{2.302588}$.


Let $x$ be such that $$x^{x^2} = 1000\phi$$ or$$x^2\ln(x) = 3\ln(10)+\ln(\phi)$$ We are interested in showing $$3\ln(10)+\ln(\phi)<e^2 \iff 3\ln(10)+\ln(\phi)- e^2<0$$since $x^2\ln(x)$ is increasing in $x$.


First, we approximate $\ln(\phi)$. Note that the series expansion of $\ln(1+x)$ for $|x|>1$ is given by $$\ln(1+x) = \ln(x) - \sum_{k=1}^\infty(-1)^k\frac{x^{-k}}{k}$$So that $$2\ln(\phi) = \ln(\phi^2) = \ln(1+\phi) = \ln(\phi) + \sum_{k=1}^\infty(-1)^{k+1}\frac{\phi^{-k}}{k}$$ $$\iff \ln(\phi) = \sum_{k=1}^\infty(-1)^{k+1}\frac{\phi^{-k}}{k}< \sum_{k=1}^{17}(-1)^{k+1}\frac{\phi^{-k}}{k}$$since the magnitude of the terms in the sum are decreasing, and we have stopped at a positive term, so this approximation is greater.

Now, to calculate negative powers of $\phi$, you can just extend the Fibonacci sequence backwards, i.e, $$\ldots \color{blue}{-8,5,-3,2,-1,1},0,1,1,2,3 \ldots$$ For example, $\phi^{-1} = \color{blue}1\cdot \phi \color{blue}{- 1}$, $\phi^{-2} = \color{blue}{-1}\cdot \phi +\color{blue}2$, $\phi ^{-3} = \color{blue}2\cdot \phi \color{blue}{- 3}$ and so on.

In the end, you should get $$\sum_{k=1}^{17}(-1)^{k+1}\frac{\phi^{-k}}{k} = \frac{3433663565\sqrt 5 - 7666113149}{24504480}<\color{red}{0.48123}$$

Edit:
With our new approximation of $\ln(10)$, it is enough to take the sum till 13, i.e, $$\ln(\phi) < \sum_{k=1}^{13}(-1)^{k+1}\frac{\phi^{-k}}{k} = \frac{4109827\sqrt 5- 9120481}{144144} < \color{blue}{0.481266}$$


Next, we will approximate $e^2$. $$e^2 = \left(\sum_{k=0}^\infty\frac{1}{k!}\right)^2>\left(\sum_{k=0}^8\frac{1}{k!}\right)^2$$ (We don't use series expansion of $e^z$ as that requires more terms.) $$\left(\sum_{k=0}^8\frac{1}{k!}\right)^2 = \left(\frac{109601}{40320}\right)^2>\color{red}{7.38903}$$


Finally, $$\boxed{3\ln(10)+\ln(\phi)- e^2< 3\cdot2.3026 + 0.48123- 7.38903 = 0 \ \ }$$ Phew!

Edit:
Armed with our new bounds, we have $$\boxed{3\ln(10)+\ln(\phi) - e^2<3\cdot 2.302588+0.481266-7.38903 = 0}$$

Update DesmosTutu :

We have a trick to evaluate $\ln 10$

$$\operatorname{arcsinh}(10)=\ln(20)+\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}(-1)^{n-1}\frac{(2n-1)!!}{2n(2n)!!(10)^{2n}},\operatorname{arcsinh}(10)\simeq 3$$

Now use expansion of $\operatorname{arcsinh(x)}$ and Engels expansion of $\ln 2$

Source: Wikipedia

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