Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2016/iii/paper-124/1/c/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2016 iii Paper 124 1 c Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-07
Let be the Mertens function. Partial summation givesFor any , choose a sufficiently small with . The assumed bound makes the boundary term tend to zero and makes the integral absolutely convergent. Moreover, on each compact set of this half-plane, one can choose the same , so the integral has locally uniform convergence. Henceis a holomorphic function on , agreeing with the reciprocal Dirichlet series from part (b) on .
The identity theorem applied to the holomorphic functions and extends their equality throughout ; the assumed simple pole makes the first function holomorphic at . Thus away from , proving a zero-free half-plane:
To obtain the strongest symmetric conclusion, use the following basic facts explicitly: the functional equation of the Riemann zeta function gives the entire function with , and the trivial zeros of the Riemann zeta function are the negative even integers. Every Nontrivial zero of the Riemann zeta function is therefore accompanied by its reflection . A Nontrivial zero of the Riemann zeta function with real part below would reflect to one above , which is impossible. Consequently all nontrivial zeros lie in the closed stripThe in the hypothesis prevents this argument from excluding either boundary line; the trivial zeros of the Riemann zeta function remain present.
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