English

Euler's Series for Sine and Cosine. An Interpretation in Nonstandard Analysis

History and Overview 2023-04-05 v1

Abstract

In chapter VIII of Introductio in analysin infinitorum, Euler derives a series for sine, cosine, and the formula eiv=cosv+isinve^{iv}=\cos v+i\sin v His arguments employ infinitesimal and infinitely large numbers and some strange equalities. We interpret these seemingly inconsistent objects within the field of hyperreal numbers. We show that any non-Archimedean field provides a framework for such an interpretation. Yet, there is one implicit lemma underlying Euler's proof, which requires specific techniques of non-standard analysis. Analyzing chapter III of Institutiones calculi differentialis reveals Euler's appeal to the rules of an ordered field which includes infinitesimals -- the same ones he applies deriving series for sinv\sin v, cosv\cos v, and eve^{v}.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2304.01353,
  title  = {Euler's Series for Sine and Cosine. An Interpretation in Nonstandard Analysis},
  author = {Piotr Błaszczyk and Anna Petiurenko},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2304.01353},
  year   = {2023}
}