Multiplication by Infinity: "Our Jewel" - Euler's Formula and Euler's Identity

Richard Feynman called Euler's formula "our jewel"^[2] and "one of the most remarkable, almost astounding, formulas in all of mathematics."^[3]

One equation to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. In the land of Euler (that would be Switzerland, Biatch!), where the Shadows (of the Alps) lie.

We will be discussing two equations. The ring above is Euler's Identity, which we will discuss second. Feynman's quote refers to Euler's formula, which we will discuss first. From Wikipedia:

Euler's formula, named after Leonhard Euler, is a mathematical formula in complex analysis that establishes the deep relationship between the trigonometric functions and the complex exponential function. Euler's formula states that, for any real number x,

$e^{ix} = \cos x + i\sin x \$

where e is the base of the natural logarithm, i is the imaginary unit, and cos and sin are the trigonometric functions cosine and sine respectively, with the argument x given in radians. This complex exponential function is sometimes called cis(x). The formula is still valid if x is a complex number, and so some authors refer to the more general complex version as Euler's formula.^[1]

History

It was Bernoulli [1702] who noted that

$\frac{1}{1+x^2}=\frac{1}{2} \left(\frac{1}{1-ix}+\frac{1}{1+ix} \right) \ .$

And since

$\int \frac{dx}{1+ax}=\frac{1}{a}\ln(1+ax)+C \ ,$

the above equation tells us something about complex logarithms. Bernoulli, however, did not evaluate the integral. His correspondence with Euler (who also knew the above equation) shows that he didn't fully understand logarithms. Euler also suggested that the complex logarithms can have infinitely many values.

Meanwhile, Roger Cotes, in 1714, discovered

$\ln(\cos x + i\sin x)=ix \$

(where "ln" means natural logarithm, i.e. log with base e).^[4] We now know that the above equation is only true modulo integer multiples of

2π i

, but Cotes missed the fact that a complex logarithm can have infinitely many values which owes to the periodicity of the trigonometric functions.

It was Euler (presumably around 1740) who turned his attention to the exponential function instead of logarithms, and obtained the correct formula now coined after his name. It was published in 1748, and his proof was based on the infinite series of both sides being equal. Neither of these men saw the geometrical interpretation of the formula: the view of complex numbers as points in the complex plane arose only some 50 years later (see Caspar Wessel).

Applications in complex number theory

Three-dimensional visualization of Euler's formula. See also circular polarization.

This formula can be interpreted as saying that the function e^ix traces out the unit circle in the complex number plane as x ranges through the real numbers. Here, x is the angle that a line connecting the origin with a point on the unit circle makes with the positive real axis, measured counter clockwise and in radians.

The original proof is based on the Taylor series expansions of the exponential function e^z (where z is a complex number) and of sin x and cos x for real numbers x (see below). In fact, the same proof shows that Euler's formula is even valid for all complex numbers z.

A point in the complex plane can be represented by a complex number written in cartesian coordinates. Euler's formula provides a means of conversion between cartesian coordinates and polar coordinates. The polar form reduces the number of terms from two to one, which simplifies the mathematics when used in multiplication or powers of complex numbers. Any complex number z = x + iy can be written as

$z = x + iy = |z| (\cos \phi + i\sin \phi ) = r e^{i \phi} \$

$\bar{z} = x - iy = |z| (\cos \phi - i\sin \phi ) = r e^{-i \phi} \$

where

$x = \mathrm{Re}\{z\} \,$ the real part

$y = \mathrm{Im}\{z\} \,$ the imaginary part

$r = |z| = \sqrt{x^2+y^2}$ the magnitude of z

$\phi = \arg z = \,$ atan2(y, x) .

$\phi \,$ is the argument of z—i.e., the angle between the x axis and the vector z measured counterclockwise and in radians—which is defined up to addition of 2π. Many texts write tan^-1(y/x) instead of atan2(y,x) but this needs adjustment when x ≤ 0.

Now, taking this derived formula, we can use Euler's formula to define the logarithm of a complex number. To do this, we also use the definition of the logarithm (as the inverse operator of exponentiation) that

$a = e^{\ln (a)} \$

and that

$e^a e^b = e^{a + b} \$

both valid for any complex numbers a and b.

Therefore, one can write:

$z = |z| e^{i \phi} = e^{\ln |z|} e^{i \phi} = e^{\ln |z| + i \phi} \$

for any z ≠ 0. Taking the logarithm of both sides shows that:

$\ln z= \ln |z| + i \phi \ .$

and in fact this can be used as the definition for the complex logarithm. The logarithm of a complex number is thus a multi-valued function, because

φ

is multi-valued.

Finally, the other exponential law

$(e^a)^k = e^{a k} \ ,$

which can be seen to hold for all integers k, together with Euler's formula, implies several trigonometric identities as well as de Moivre's formula.

Relationship to trigonometry

Euler's formula provides a powerful connection between analysis and trigonometry, and provides an interpretation of the sine and cosine functions as weighted sums of the exponential function:

$\cos x = \mathrm{Re}\{e^{ix}\} ={e^{ix} + e^{-ix} \over 2}$

$\sin x = \mathrm{Im}\{e^{ix}\} ={e^{ix} - e^{-ix} \over 2i} \ .$

The two equations above can be derived by adding or subtracting Euler's formulas:

$e^{ix} = \cos x + i \sin x \;$

$e^{-ix} = \cos(- x) + i \sin(- x) = \cos x - i \sin x \;$

and solving for either cosine or sine.

These formulas can even serve as the definition of the trigonometric functions for complex arguments x. For example, letting x = iy, we have:

$\cos(iy) = {e^{-y} + e^{y} \over 2} = \cosh(y)$

$\sin(iy) = {e^{-y} - e^{y} \over 2i} = -{1 \over i} {e^{y} - e^{-y} \over 2} = i\sinh(y) \ .$

Complex exponentials can simplify trigonometry, because they are easier to manipulate than their sinusoidal components. One technique is simply to convert sinusoids into equivalent expressions in terms of exponentials.

After the manipulations, the simplified result is still real-valued. For example:

$\begin{align} \cos x\cdot \cos y & = \frac{(e^{ix}+e^{-ix})}{2} \cdot \frac{(e^{iy}+e^{-iy})}{2} \\ & = \frac{1}{2}\cdot \frac{e^{i(x+y)}+e^{i(x-y)}+e^{i(-x+y)}+e^{i(-x-y)}}{2} \\ & = \frac{1}{2} \left[ \underbrace{ \frac{e^{i(x+y)} + e^{-i(x+y)}}{2} }_{\cos(x+y)} + \underbrace{ \frac{e^{i(x-y)} + e^{-i(x-y)}}{2} }_{\cos(x-y)} \right] \ . \end{align}$

Another technique is to represent the sinusoids in terms of the real part of a more complex expression, and perform the manipulations on the complex expression. For example:

$\begin{align} \cos(nx) & = \mathrm{Re} \{\ e^{inx}\ \} = \mathrm{Re} \{\ e^{i(n-1)x}\cdot e^{ix}\ \} \\ & = \mathrm{Re} \{\ e^{i(n-1)x}\cdot (e^{ix} + e^{-ix} - e^{-ix})\ \} \\ & = \mathrm{Re} \{\ e^{i(n-1)x}\cdot \underbrace{(e^{ix} + e^{-ix})}_{2\cos(x)} - e^{i(n-2)x}\ \} \\ & = \cos[(n-1)x]\cdot 2 \cos(x) - \cos[(n-2)x] \ . \end{align}$

This formula is used for recursive generation of cos(nx) for integer values of n and arbitrary x (in radians).

Other applications

In differential equations, the function e^ix is often used to simplify derivations, even if the final answer is a real function involving sine and cosine. The reason for this is that the complex exponential is the eigenfunction of differentiation. Euler's identity is an easy consequence of Euler's formula.

In electrical engineering and other fields, signals that vary periodically over time are often described as a combination of sine and cosine functions (see Fourier analysis), and these are more conveniently expressed as the real part of exponential functions with imaginary exponents, using Euler's formula. Also, phasor analysis of circuits can include Euler's formula to represent the impedance of a capacitor or an inductor.

Definitions of complex exponentiation

Main articles: Exponentiation and Exponential function

The exponential function e^x for real values of x may be defined in a few different equivalent ways (see Characterizations of the exponential function). Several of these methods may be directly extended to give definitions of e^z for complex values of z simply by substituting z in place of x and using the complex algebraic operations. In particular we may use either of the two following definitions which are equivalent. From a more advanced perspective, each of these definitions may be interpreted as giving the unique analytic continuation of e^x to the complex plane.

Power series definition

For complex z

$e^z = 1 + \frac{z}{1!} + \frac{z^2}{2!} + \frac{z^3}{3!} + \cdots = \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \frac{z^n}{n!} ~.$

Using the ratio test it is possible to show that this power series has an infinite radius of convergence, and so defines e^z for all complex z.

Limit definition

For complex z

$e^z = \lim_{n \rightarrow \infty} \left(1+\frac{z}{n}\right)^n ~.$

Proofs

Various proofs of the formula are possible.

Using power series

Here is a proof of Euler's formula using power series expansions as well as basic facts about the powers of i:

$\begin{align} i^0 &{}= 1, \quad & i^1 &{}= i, \quad & i^2 &{}= -1, \quad & i^3 &{}= -i, \\ i^4 &={} 1, \quad & i^5 &={} i, \quad & i^6 &{}= -1, \quad & i^7 &{}= -i, \end{align}$

and so on. Using now the power series definition from above we see that for real values of x

$\begin{align} e^{ix} &{}= 1 + ix + \frac{(ix)^2}{2!} + \frac{(ix)^3}{3!} + \frac{(ix)^4}{4!} + \frac{(ix)^5}{5!} + \frac{(ix)^6}{6!} + \frac{(ix)^7}{7!} + \frac{(ix)^8}{8!} + \cdots \\[8pt] &{}= 1 + ix - \frac{x^2}{2!} - \frac{ix^3}{3!} + \frac{x^4}{4!} + \frac{ix^5}{5!} - \frac{x^6}{6!} - \frac{ix^7}{7!} + \frac{x^8}{8!} + \cdots \\[8pt] &{}= \left( 1 - \frac{x^2}{2!} + \frac{x^4}{4!} - \frac{x^6}{6!} + \frac{x^8}{8!} - \cdots \right) + i\left( x - \frac{x^3}{3!} + \frac{x^5}{5!} - \frac{x^7}{7!} + \cdots \right) \\[8pt] &{}= \cos x + i\sin x \ . \end{align}$

In the last step we have simply recognized the Taylor series for sin(x) and cos(x). The rearrangement of terms is justified because each series is absolutely convergent.

Using calculus

Treating i as a constant, albeit an imaginary constant, note that

$\frac{d}{dx} e^{ix} = i e^{ix} \ .$

Then define the function

$f(x) = (\cos x - i \sin x) \cdot e^{ix} \ .$

Because the product rule holds for complex valued functions of a real variable for the same reason as in the real case, the derivative of ƒ(x) according to the product rule is:

$\begin{align} \frac{d}{dx}f(x) &= (\cos x - i\sin x)\cdot\frac{d}{dx}e^{ix} + \frac{d}{dx}(\cos x - i\sin x)\cdot e^{ix} \\ &= (\cos x - i\sin x)(i e^{ix}) + (-\sin x - i\cos x)\cdot e^{ix} \\ &= (i\cos x + \sin x - \sin x - i\cos x)\cdot e^{ix} \\ &= 0 \ . \end{align}$

Therefore, ƒ(x) must be a constant function in x. Because ƒ(0) = 1 by inspection, ƒ(x) = 1, giving

$1 = (\cos x - i \sin x) \cdot e^{ix} \ .$

Multiplying both sides by cos x + i sin x, we obtain

$\begin{align} \cos x + i \sin x &= (\cos x + i \sin x)(\cos x - i \sin x) \cdot e^{ix} \\ &= (\cos^2 x -(i \sin x)^2) \cdot e^{ix} = (\cos^2 x + \sin^2 x) \cdot e^{ix} = e^{ix} \ . \end{align}$

Using differential equations

Here is another proof that follows from the differential identity above. Define a new function ƒ(x) of the real variable x as

$f(x) = \cos x + i \sin x \ .$

Then we may check that

$\begin{align} \frac{d}{dx}f(x) &= -\sin x + i \cos x \\ &= i f(x) \ . \end{align}$

Thus ƒ(x) and e^ix satisfy the same first-order ordinary differential equation (here the complex values are considered as points in the plane ℝ²). Note also that both functions are equal to 1 at x = 0, then by the uniqueness of solutions to ordinary differential equations they must be equal everywhere (see Picard–Lindelöf theorem and note the comments concerning global uniqueness in the proof section there).

References

^ Moskowitz, Martin A. (2002). A Course in Complex Analysis in One Variable. World Scientific Publishing Co.. pp. 7. ISBN 981-02-4780-X.
^ Feynman, Richard P. (1977). The Feynman Lectures on Physics, vol. I. Addison-Wesley. pp. 22–10. ISBN 0-201-02010-6.
^ Feynman, Richard P. (1977). The Feynman Lectures on Physics, vol. I. Addison-Wesley. pp. 22–1. ISBN 0-201-02010-6.
^ John Stillwell (2002). Mathematics and Its History. Springer.

External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euler%27s_formula"

EULER'S IDENTITY

The exponential function e^z can be defined as the limit of (1 + z/N)^N, as N approaches infinity, and thus e^iπ is the limit of (1 + iπ/N)^N. In this animation N takes various increasing values from 1 to 100. The computation of (1 + iπ/N)^N is displayed as the combined effect of N repeated multiplications in the complex plane, with the final point being the actual value of (1 + iπ/N)^N. It can be seen that as N gets larger (1 + iπ/N)^N approaches a limit of −1.

Part of a series of articles on
The mathematical constant e

Natural logarithm · Exponential function

Applications in: compound interest · Euler's identity & Euler's formula · half-lives & exponential growth/decay

Defining e: proof that e is irrational · representations of e · Lindemann–Weierstrass theorem

People John Napier · Leonhard Euler

Schanuel's conjecture

In analytical mathematics, Euler's Identity, named for the Swiss-German mathematician Leonhard Euler, is the equality

$e^{i \pi} + 1 = 0\,\!$

where

$e\,\!$ is Euler's number, the base of natural logarithms,

$i\,\!$ is the imaginary unit, which satisfies i² = −1, and

$\pi\,\!$ is pi, the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter.

Euler's Identity is also sometimes called Euler's Equation.

Beauty

Euler's identity is considered by many to be remarkable for its mathematical beauty. These three basic arithmetic operations occur exactly once each: addition, multiplication, and exponentiation. The identity also links five fundamental mathematical constants:

The number 0, the additive identity.
The number 1, the multiplicative identity.
The number π, which is ubiquitous in trigonometry, the geometry of Euclidean space, and analytical mathematics (π = 3.14159265...)
The number e, the base of natural logarithms, which occurs widely in mathematical and scientific analysis (e = 2.718281828...). Both π and e are transcendental numbers.
The number i, the imaginary unit of the complex numbers, a field of numbers that contains the roots of all polynomials (that are not constants), and whose study leads to deeper insights into many areas of algebra and calculus, such as integration in calculus.

Furthermore, in algebra and other areas of mathematics, equations are commonly written with zero on one side of the equals sign.

A poll of readers conducted by The Mathematical Intelligencer magazine named Euler's Identity as the "most beautiful theorem in mathematics".^[1] Another poll of readers that was conducted by Physics World magazine, in 2004, chose Euler's Identity tied with Maxwell equations (of electromagnetism) as the "greatest equation ever".^[2]

An entire 400-page mathematics book, Dr. Euler's Fabulous Formula (published in 2006), written by Dr. Paul Nahin (a Professor Emeritus at the University of New Hampshire), is devoted to Euler's Identity. This monograph states that Euler's Identity sets "the gold standard for mathematical beauty."^[3]

Constance Reid claimed that Euler's Identity was "the most famous formula in all mathematics."^[4]
The mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss was reported to have commented that if this formula was not immediately apparent to a student upon being told it, that student would never become a first-class mathematician.^[5]

After proving Euler's Identity during a lecture, Benjamin Peirce, a noted American 19th century philosopher/mathematician and a professor at Harvard University, stated that "It is absolutely paradoxical; we cannot understand it, and we don't know what it means, but we have proved it, and therefore we know it must be the truth." ^[6]

The Stanford University mathematics professor, Dr. Keith Devlin, said, "Like a Shakespearean sonnet that captures the very essence of love, or a painting that brings out the beauty of the human form that is far more than just skin deep, Euler's Equation reaches down into the very depths of existence."^[7]

Derivation

Euler's formula for a general angle

The identity is a special case of Euler's formula from complex analysis, which states that

$e^{ix} = \cos x + i \sin x \,\!$

for any real number x. (Note that the arguments to the trigonometric functions sine and cosine are taken to be in radians, and not in degrees.) In particular,

$e^{i \pi} = \cos \pi + i \sin \pi.\,\!$

Since

$\cos \pi = -1 \, \!$

and

$\sin \pi = 0,\,\!$

it follows that

$e^{i \pi} = -1,\,\!$

which gives the identity

$e^{i \pi} +1 = 0.\,\!$

Generalizations

Euler's Identity is actually a special case of the more general identity that the nth roots of unity, for n > 1, add up to 0:

$\sum_{k=0}^{n-1} e^{2 \pi i k/n} = 0 .$

Euler's identity is the case where n = 2.

In another field of mathematics, by using quaternion exponentiation, one can show that a similar identity also applies to quaternions:

$e^{\frac{(i+j+k)}{\sqrt 3}\pi} + 1 = 0. \,\!$

Attribution

While Euler wrote about his formula that relates e with cosine and sine terms, in the field of complex numbers, there is no known record of Euler's actually stating or deriving the simplified identity equation itself.

Furthermore, Euler's formula was probably known before the life of Euler.^[8] (If so, then this usage would be an example of Stigler's law of eponymy.) Thus, the question of whether or not this identity should be attributed to Euler is unanswerable.

Notes

^ Nahin, 2006, p.2–3 (poll published in the summer 1990 issue of the magazine).
^ Crease, 2004.
^ Cited in Crease, 2007.
^ Reid.
^ Derbyshire p.210.
^ Maor p.160 and Kasner & Newman p.103–104.
^ Nahin, 2006, p.1.
^ Sandifer.

References

Crease, Robert P., "The greatest equations ever", PhysicsWeb, October 2004 (registration required).
Crease, Robert P. "Equations as icons," PhysicsWeb, March 2007 (registration required).
Derbyshire, J. Prime Obsession: Bernhard Riemann and the Greatest Unsolved Problem in Mathematics (New York: Penguin, 2004).
Kasner, E., and Newman, J., Mathematics and the Imagination (Bell and Sons, 1949).
Maor, Eli, e: The Story of a number (Princeton University Press, 1998), ISBN 0-691-05854-7
Nahin, Paul J., Dr. Euler's Fabulous Formula: Cures Many Mathematical Ills (Princeton University Press, 2006), ISBN 978-0691118222
Reid, Constance, From Zero to Infinity (Mathematical Association of America, various editions).
Sandifer, Ed, "Euler's Greatest Hits", MAA Online, February 2007.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euler%27s_identity"

Categories: Complex analysis | Exponentials | Mathematical identities

7 comments:

Steven Colyer said...: Some of my regular readers may be offended I make fun of Switzerland in my comments under the picture of the Titanium Euler's Identity ring caption above.

Let me assure them that first, I consider it to be gentle fun. I certainly feel no malice to the lovely Swiss.

Living in America where I live, I have met many people from the Germanic counties of central Europe, meaning Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Each and every one of them to the last man and women are simply outstanding people, and in my humble opinion add greatly to the ever-changing melting pot that is the horribly-named "United States of America."

Welcome aboard "shotzes" (whatever that means ... we speak but one language here, heh), glad to have you here.

Having said that ....

I was very distressed to read a few years that Switzerland wasn't as "neutral" as they pride themselves as being during WWII, when it was proven they held various pieces of pricey Jewish artwork confiscated by The Third Reich. That in turn makes me wonder how "neutral" these Swiss Banks are today with their "numbered" accounts.

Julian Assange says he will blow the cover off many when he (eventually) releases his hacked "bank records" of the wealthy. I won't be surprised whatever it is, and I hope that Switzerland weathers the storm, whatever it is. But I must say ...

Leonhard Euler! My GOD, what a GREAT Swiss! What a great human, and Switzerland owns him, so thanks for that.

Also, Switzerland is the most beautiful country in Europe, based on the account of one person I know who has visited all of them.

And that's not bad, hmm?; January 25, 2011 at 4:11 PM
Aoife said...: Would it be inappropriate for one to want that ring as a wedding ring?! Can you actually buy them? I'd love to get one. I got euler's formula henna tattooed onto my wrist over the summer. If I ever did get a tattoo (which will never happen) it would definitely be this equation though.
It really is just perfection.; September 25, 2011 at 8:38 AM
Steven Colyer said...: If it's not inappropriate to you AND Dan then it's not inappropriate at all. :-)

Yes, give me a bit, I'll find where to buy it, I wish a few myself.; September 25, 2011 at 6:08 PM
Steven Colyer said...: Well there's this, but it's not the same, bear with me ....; September 25, 2011 at 6:11 PM
Steven Colyer said...: Aoife, I found it! Click here.

Sheesh, $215 ?? Um, OK.; September 28, 2011 at 4:43 PM
Chris & Sandy Boothe, Exotica Jewelry said...: You can buy that ring here: http://www.titaniumringsforever.com/blog/2011/titanium-rings-formulas-equations; November 29, 2011 at 11:33 PM
Herry Johnson said...: The main focus concerns the diagnosis of hereditary diseases
Every paternity establishes a special relationship. This not only means a lifelong emotional bond, but also includes extensive and ongoing legal obligations. As large as the scope of that relationship is, the questions can be just as excruciating if there are any doubts about the Paternity Test, DNA Relationship Test and Identity Proofs. Unlike the mother, as a general rule, the father is naturally often left with his suspicions unless he decides to take a paternity test.; August 24, 2015 at 4:00 AM

Monday, January 24, 2011

"Our Jewel" - Euler's Formula and Euler's Identity

History

Applications in complex number theory

Relationship to trigonometry

Other applications

Definitions of complex exponentiation

Power series definition

Limit definition

Proofs

Using power series

Using calculus

Using differential equations

See also

References

External links

Beauty

Derivation

Generalizations

Attribution

See also

Notes

References

7 comments: