GAMMA AND BETA FUNCTIONS ..

1.00 1.0000
1.10 0.9514
1.20 0.9182
1.30 0.8975
1.40 0.8873
1.50 0.8862
1.60 0.8935
1.70 0.9086
1.80 0.9314
1.90 0.9618
2.00 1.0000

Fig. 1
The equation (2) is a recurrence relationship that leads to the factorial concept. First
observe that if , then (1) can be evaluated, and in particular,

From (2)

If , where is a positive integer, then

(3)

If is a real number, then is defined by .The value of this

identification is in intuitive guidance.
If the recurrence relation (2) is characterized as a differential equation, then the definition
of can be extended to negative real numbers by a process called analytic continuation. The
key idea is that even though is defined in (1) is not convergent for , the relation
allows the meaning to be extended to the interval , and from there to
, and so on.
The factorial notion guides us to information about in more than one way. In
the eighteenth century, Sterling introduced the formula (for positive integer values n)

2
GAMMA AND BETA FUNCTIONS ..

(4)

This is called Sterlings formula and it indicates that n! asymptotically approaches for
large values of n. This information has proved useful, since n! is difficult to calculate for large
values of n.
There is another consequence of Sterlings formula. It suggests the possibility that for
sufficiently large values of x,

(5a)

It is known that satisfies the inequality

(5b)

Since the factor for large values of x, the suggested value (5a) of is
consistent with (5b).
An exact representation of is suggested by the following manipulation of n!. (It
depends on (n+k)! = (k+n)!

Since is fixed the second limit is one, therefore, (This must be read as an
infinite product.)

This factorial representation for positive integers suggests the possibility that

(6)

Gauss verified this identification back in the nineteenth century.

This infinite product is symbolized by It is called

Gausss function and through this symbolism,
(7)

The expression for (which has some advantage in developing the derivative of )
results as follows. Put (6a) in the form

( )
3
GAMMA AND BETA FUNCTIONS ..

Next, introduce

Then

is Eulers constant. This constant has been calculated to many places, a few of which are

By letting the representation (6) can be further modified so

that

Since


(9)

Another result of special interest emanates from a comparison of with the

famous formula

{ } { } (10)

is obtained from by letting , i.e.,

or

Now use (8) to produce

({ }) ( )

Thus
(11a)

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GAMMA AND BETA FUNCTIONS ..

Observe that (11) yields the result

() (11b)

Another exact representation of is

{ } (12)

The method of obtaining this result is closely related to Sterlings asymptotic series for
the gamma function.
The duplication formula is
( ) (13a)

The duplication formula is a special case of the following product formula:

( ) ( ) ( ) (13b)

It can be shown that the gamma function has continuous derivatives of all orders. They
are obtained by differentiating (with respect to the parameter) under the integral sign.

It helps to recall that and that if then

Therefore, .
It follows that

(14a)

This result can be obtained (after making assumptions about the interchange of
differentiation with limits) by taking the logarithm of both sides of (9) and then differentiating.
In particular,
( is the Euler's constant.) (14b)

It also may be shown that

( ) ( ) ( ) (15)

Example 1: Prove that

Solution:

Put [ ] Proved

5
GAMMA AND BETA FUNCTIONS ..

Example 2: Prove that

(i)
(ii)
Solution: (i) Integrating by parts, we have

[ ]

[ ]

()

Replacing by Proved

(ii) Replace by in () we get

Putting the value in () we get

Similarly ()

Putting the value of in () we have:

Replacing by we have

Proved

Example 3: Evaluate each of the following.

(a)

(b)

(c)

6
GAMMA AND BETA FUNCTIONS ..

(d)

Example 4: Evaluate

Solution: Let ................ (1)

Putting or in (1), we get

By definition

( ) ( ) Ans.

Example 5: Evaluate

Solution: Let ................ (1)

Putting or in (1) we get

( ) ( ) Ans.

Example 6: Evaluate

Solution: Let ................ (1)

Putting or

Thus (1) becomes ( )

() Ans.

Example 7: Prove that ( )

Solution: ( )

Letting thus integral becomes

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GAMMA AND BETA FUNCTIONS ..

Let let the required value of the integral. Then

Where is the square of side (see Fig.2). Since integrand is positive, we have

(1)

Where and are the regions in the first quadrant bounded by the circles having radii and
respectively.

Using polar coordinates, we have from (1),

(2)

Or

(3)

Then taking the limit as in (3), we find

and
Then

( ) ( ) Proved

Homework Fig.2

1. Evaluate each integral:

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)

8
GAMMA AND BETA FUNCTIONS ..

2. Evaluate where are positive constants.

3. Evaluate:
a) ( )
b) ( )

4. Evaluate

5. Evaluate [ ( )]

THE BETA FUNCTION

The beta function is a two-parameter composition of gamma functions that has been
useful enough in application to gain its own name. Its definition is:

(1)

If and , this is a proper integral. If , and either or both 1

or , the integral is improper but convergent.

It is shown in Example No.2 that the beta function can be expressed through gamma
functions in the following way
(2)
Many integrals can be expressed through beta and gamma functions. Two of special
interest are:
(3)
(4)

Example 1: Prove that (a) (b)

Solution:
a) Using the transformation , we have

b) Using the transformation , we have

( )

Example 2: Prove that

9
GAMMA AND BETA FUNCTIONS ..

Solution:
Letting we have

Similarity, Then

( )( )

Transforming to polar coordinates,

( ) ( )

( )

Thus,

Proved

From example No.1 and No.2 we show that:

Example 3: Evaluate each of the following integrals.

a)
b)
Letting the integral becomes

()
( )
( )

c) Letting or the integral becomes

Example 4: Evaluate (a) (b) (c)

a) Let i.e.

Then the required integral has the value

b) Letting the required integral has the value

01
GAMMA AND BETA FUNCTIONS ..

c) The given integral

Thus letting the required integral has the value

Homework

1. Evaluate (a) (b) (c)

2. Find:
a)
b) ( )

c)
d)

e)
3. Evaluate:
a)

b)

c)
d) )

00