Bohr–Mollerup theorem
Encyclopedia
In mathematical
analysis
, the Bohr–Mollerup theorem is named after the Danish mathematicians Harald Bohr
and Johannes Mollerup, who proved it. The theorem characterizes
the gamma function
, defined for x > 0 by
as the only function ƒ on the interval x > 0 that simultaneously has the three properties
An elegant treatment of this theorem is in Artin
's book The Gamma Function, which has been reprinted by the AMS in a collection of Artin's writings.
The theorem was first published in a textbook on complex analysis
, as Bohr and Mollerup thought it had already been proved.
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
analysis
Mathematical analysis
Mathematical analysis, which mathematicians refer to simply as analysis, has its beginnings in the rigorous formulation of infinitesimal calculus. It is a branch of pure mathematics that includes the theories of differentiation, integration and measure, limits, infinite series, and analytic functions...
, the Bohr–Mollerup theorem is named after the Danish mathematicians Harald Bohr
Harald Bohr
Harald August Bohr was a Danish mathematician and football player. After receiving his doctorate in 1910, Bohr became an eminent mathematician, founding the field of almost periodic functions. His brother was the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Niels Bohr...
and Johannes Mollerup, who proved it. The theorem characterizes
Characterization (mathematics)
In mathematics, the statement that "Property P characterizes object X" means, not simply that X has property P, but that X is the only thing that has property P. It is also common to find statements such as "Property Q characterises Y up to isomorphism". The first type of statement says in...
the gamma function
Gamma function
In mathematics, the gamma function is an extension of the factorial function, with its argument shifted down by 1, to real and complex numbers...
, defined for x > 0 by
as the only function ƒ on the interval x > 0 that simultaneously has the three properties
-
and -
and -
is logarithmically convex.
An elegant treatment of this theorem is in Artin
Emil Artin
Emil Artin was an Austrian-American mathematician of Armenian descent.-Parents:Emil Artin was born in Vienna to parents Emma Maria, née Laura , a soubrette on the operetta stages of Austria and Germany, and Emil Hadochadus Maria Artin, Austrian-born of Armenian descent...
's book The Gamma Function, which has been reprinted by the AMS in a collection of Artin's writings.
The theorem was first published in a textbook on complex analysis
Complex analysis
Complex analysis, traditionally known as the theory of functions of a complex variable, is the branch of mathematical analysis that investigates functions of complex numbers. It is useful in many branches of mathematics, including number theory and applied mathematics; as well as in physics,...
, as Bohr and Mollerup thought it had already been proved.