On the remarkable properties of the pentagonal numbers

dc.creatorEuler, Leonhard
dc.date2005-05-18
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T05:19:59Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T05:19:59Z
dc.descriptionIn this paper Euler considers the properties of the pentagonal numbers, those numbers of the form $\frac{3n^2 \pm n}{2}$. He recalls that the infinite product $(1-x)(1-x^2)(1-x^3)...$ expands into an infinite series with exponents the pentagonal numbers, and tries substituting the roots of this infinite product into this infinite series. I am not sure what he is doing in some parts: in particular, he does some complicated calculations about the roots of unity and sums of them, their squares, reciprocals, etc., and also sums some divergent series such as 1-1-1+1+1-1-1+1+..., and I would appreciate any suggestions or corrections about these parts.
dc.description16 pages, seems to be first English translation of Euler's Latin original ``De mirabilis proprietatibus numerorum pentagonalium'', Acta Academiae Scientarum Imperialis Petropolitinae 4 (1783), no. 1, 56-75. E542
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/math/0505373
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/math/0505373
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/75228
dc.subjectHistory and Overview
dc.subjectNumber Theory
dc.subject01A50; 11B37
dc.titleOn the remarkable properties of the pentagonal numbers
dc.typetext

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