5 ms·

Sorry if this is obvious, dusting off the math mind here... How is this solved without brute force computation?

• RiderOfGiraffes 17y ago
  It's neither obvious nor easy. It was an outstanding problem in the mid 1700's, and it was Euler that solved it but some superbly reckless arguments. Euler's original paper: http://www.17centurymaths.com/contents/euler/e041tr.pdf http://www.17centurymaths.com/contents/euler/e041tr.pdf The bottom of this page has a more modern treatment, although it takes a lot for granted: http://www.math.wpi.edu/IQP/BVCalcHist/calc3.html http://www.math.wpi.edu/IQP/BVCalcHist/calc3.html Another treatment of Euler's proof is here: http://library.thinkquest.org/28049/Summing%20reciprocals.html http://library.thinkquest.org/28049/Summing%20reciprocals.ht...
  • stilist 17y ago
    Last link needs to swap %20 for the space.
    • RiderOfGiraffes 17y ago
      Done - thanks.