English

Various observations on angles proceeding in geometric progression

History and Overview 2010-09-09 v1 Classical Analysis and ODEs

Abstract

This is a translation of Euler's 1773 "Variae observationes circa angulos in progressione geometrica progredientes", E561 in the Enestr{\"o}m index. I translated this paper as a result of my study of Euler's work on the infinite product k=1(1zk)\prod_{k=1}^\infty (1-z^k). If one instead considers the finite product k=1n(1zk)\prod_{k=1}^n (1-z^k), one can study its behavior on the unit circle. The absolute value of k=1n(1eikθ)\prod_{k=1}^n (1-e^{ik\theta}) is 2nk=1nsinkθ/22^n |\prod_{k=1}^n \sin k\theta/2|. My interest in the product k=1nsinkθ/2\prod_{k=1}^n \sin k\theta/2 has inspired me to become acquainted with Euler's papers on trigonometric identities, in particular E447, E561, and E562. E561 says nothing about the product k=1nsinkθ/2\prod_{k=1}^n \sin k\theta/2, but it has identities which I had not seen before. The identities have a form similar to Vi\`ete's infinite product k=1cosθ/2k=sinθθ\prod_{k=1}^\infty \cos \theta/2^k=\frac{\sin\theta}{\theta}.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1009.1439,
  title  = {Various observations on angles proceeding in geometric progression},
  author = {Leonhard Euler and Jordan Bell},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1009.1439},
  year   = {2010}
}

Comments

9 pages, E561

R2 v1 2026-06-21T16:10:49.571Z