Improving Stirling's formula
Stirling formula for real values of \(x\) \[ \Gamma(x+1) =2\pi x^{x +{1\over 2}}e^{-x} e^{\mu_0(x)}, \quad 0<\mu_0(x) <{1\over 12x},\;x>0, \] is compared with four other formulas. Two of these are \[ \Gamma(x+ \tfrac 12)= \sqrt {2\pi} x^xe^{-x} e^{\mu(\tfrac 12,x)},\;x>0, \] \[ \Gamma(x+\tfrac 12)= \sqrt {2\pi} (x^2-\tfrac {1}{12})^{x/2} e^{-x}e^{\mu_1(x)},\;x>\tfrac{1} {\sqrt {12}}. \] Bounds for the functions \(\mu(\tfrac 12,x)\) and \(\mu_1(x)\) (as well as for the corresponding functions in the other two formulas) are given, and it is shown that all four of the author's formulas are better than Stirling's formula.
scientific article; zbMATH DE number 1659426