Die Eulerschen Integrale. (Euler's integrals) (Q1090783): Difference between revisions

The author gives another ingenious proof that \[ (1)\quad f(a)=\int^{1}_{0}\frac{\log (x^ 2-2x \cos a+1)}{x}dx=-\frac{(a- \pi)^ 2}{2}+\frac{\pi^ 2}{6}\quad (0\leq a\leq 2\pi). \] From (1) one can readily evaluate three definite integrals of Euler. The above integral (1) was evaluated by the reviewer and \textit{S. Haruki} [Am. Math. Mon. 90, 181-183 (1983; Zbl 0599.26011)] by using the functional equation \[ (2)\quad f(a/2)+f(\pi -a/2)=f(a)\quad (0\leq a\leq 2\pi). \] The author evaluates (1) without using (2). He deduces \(f'(a)=\pi -a\) to get \(f(a)=- (a-\pi)^ 2/2+C\) where C is an integration constant, and then he proves \(C=\pi^ 2/6\) by using the fact that \(f(\pi /2)=(1/4)f(\pi)\) which can be obtained by (1) directly.