On a finite sum involving inverse powers of cosines (Q634689): Difference between revisions

The subject of this paper is the sum \[ S_{m,v}=\left({\pi\over 2m}\right)^{2v}\,\sum_{k=0}^{m-1}\,\cos^{-2v}\left({k\over 2m}\right), \] with \(v,\,m\) positive integers. It appeared in [\textit{M. S. Klamkin} (ed.), Problems in Applied Mathematics: Selections from SIAM Review. Philadelphia, PA: SIAM, Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (1990; Zbl 0718.00001)]. The problem was studied by Fisher (neither a reference to his work is given in the paper under review, nor is there any indication of the initials of this Fisher); he allegedly proved \[ S_{m,1}={\pi^2\over 6}\,\left(1-{1\over m^2}\right),\;S_{m,2}={\pi^4\over 90}\,\left(1+{5\over 2m^2}-{7\over 2m^4} \right), \] and \[ S_{m,v}=\zeta(2v)+{v\over 12m^2}\zeta(2v-2)+O(m^{-4}),\;m\rightarrow\infty. \] \vskip0.2cm In the paper under review, the author ``talks'' the reader to the exact values of the sum for \(v=1,\,2\) and \(3\) and in addition gives an empirical method to find formulae for all coefficients in the exact formula in descending powers of \(m^2\) for \(S_{m,v}\) when \(v\) is an integer and the first ten values of the \(S_{m,v}\) are tabulated.