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In mathematics, the gamma function (represented by Γ, capital Greek letter gamma) is the most common extension of the factorial function to complex numbers.Derived by Daniel Bernoulli, the gamma function () is defined for all complex numbers except non-positive integers, and for every positive integer =, () = ()!.
The roots of the digamma function are the saddle points of the complex-valued gamma function. Thus they lie all on the real axis. The only one on the positive real axis is the unique minimum of the real-valued gamma function on R + at x 0 = 1.461 632 144 968 362 341 26.... All others occur single between the poles on the negative axis:
Thus the -gamma function can be considered as an extension of the -factorial function to the real numbers. The relation to the ordinary gamma function is made explicit in the limit = (). There is a simple proof of this limit by Gosper.
The falling factorial can be extended to real values of using the gamma function provided and + are real numbers that are not negative integers: = (+) (+) , and so can the rising factorial: = (+) . Calculus
and many more relations for Γ( n / d ) where the denominator d divides 24 or 60. [6] Gamma quotients with algebraic values must be "poised" in the sense that the sum of arguments is the same (modulo 1) for the denominator and the numerator. A more sophisticated example:
One property of the gamma function, distinguishing it from other continuous interpolations of the factorials, is given by the Bohr–Mollerup theorem, which states that the gamma function (offset by one) is the only log-convex function on the positive real numbers that interpolates the factorials and obeys the same functional equation.
The factorial number system is sometimes defined with the 0! place omitted because it is always zero (sequence A007623 in the OEIS). In this article, a factorial number representation will be flagged by a subscript "!". In addition, some examples will have digits delimited by a colon. For example, 3:4:1:0:1:0! stands for
The ordinary factorial, when extended to the gamma function, has a pole at each negative integer, preventing the factorial from being defined at these numbers. However, the double factorial of odd numbers may be extended to any negative odd integer argument by inverting its recurrence relation!! = ()!! to give !! = (+)!! +.