Cancellation in an exponential sum 2026-10-06
Cancellation occurs when different complex numbers in an exponential sum have directions that reduce the absolute value of their sum. For example, the orthogonality of roots of unity makes for every integer , despite all terms having absolute value one.
Character sum of a Dirichlet character Created 2026-10-06 Updated 2026-10-07
A character sum of a Dirichlet character is a finite sum such as or the weighted sum . Orthogonality of Dirichlet characters converts residue class restrictions to these sums.
Exponential sum 2026-10-06
A finite sum of complex exponentials, such as with , is an exponential sum. Cancellation in an exponential sum between its terms can make it much smaller than the sum of their absolute values.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 iii Paper 27 1 a Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
Let . Regroup the finite divisor sum using the least common multiple:This is nonnegative. If has no prime factor in , only can contribute to the inner sum, so it equals . This proves the required pointwise upper-bound sieve inequality. Whenever a term defining is nonzero, and their prime factors lie in . Hence , and every prime factor of lies in . Thus these are upper-bound sieve weights of level , as described by the Selberg least-common-multiple weights.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 iii Paper 27 3 a Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
Set , and restrict attention to the set of squarefree integers all of whose prime factors lie in . Coefficients indexed by non-squarefree integers do not affect , so they may be set to zero. PutIn particular, the normalizing sum runs to , as in the PDF; the converted TeX's is a transcription error. Define . The finite multiples version of Möbius inversion isIt follows by substituting the definition and using . Taking gives . Thus the Selberg sieve diagonalization and the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality giveEquality holds at , which satisfies the constraint. Inverting, and writing , yieldsFor set . The formula has and gives minimum .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 iii Paper 27 3 b Solution 2026-10-06
Write , where is the prime omega function. If , its contribution to the Dirichlet convolution isSince , summing over the prime factors proves the log-weighted convolution bound for three to the prime omega, . On , , henceThis is the required inequality. The standard Chebyshev estimate bounds its right side by . To bound the latter sum, use multiplicativity and extend to all numbers with prime factors at most :The Mertens second theorem states . Taking logarithms of the product, with a summable remainder, gives . Therefore the product is , proving the summatory bound for three to the prime omega in the required range:
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 iii Paper 27 4 b Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
Put , with the offset logarithmic integral function. The permitted standard sieve estimate can be taken as the Brun–Titchmarsh theorem:For , . Also . Thus both terms defining are , uniformly over the permitted moduli. Apply the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality in the formThis is the weighted arithmetic-progression error bound. The prime omega function and Euler totient function weights can therefore be handled using an unweighted mean error and a separate positive sum.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 iii Paper 27 5 b Solution 2026-10-06
Finite rearrangement and the Von Mangoldt divisor identity giveFor , integral comparison of the increasing logarithm gives . Moving to real changes the main term by . Thus the integrated Chebyshev sum hasFor , chooseThese are logarithmic Möbius function weights; they need not be upper-bound sieve weights. For , the Möbius inversion identities and giveHence the expression suggested in the question isWe will use the elementary Möbius harmonic logarithmic moments, , for whichHere is a proof of the needed estimates. From , replacing floors by gives . Also , because . Substituting the permitted harmonic number estimate gives , so .
For , the weighted Dirichlet hyperbola method gives the harmonic divisor sum expansionExplicitly, for , . Substitute the harmonic estimate and , obtained by unit-interval integral comparison. This proves the expansion without a prime-distribution theorem. Since , we have , and thereforeThe summed error is bounded by , by integral comparison. Thus .
Finally substitute the asymptotic for into . The main term isThe error sum is : partition the integers into ; each interval contributes , and the resulting series converges. Using the moment estimates proves the Selberg symmetry formula:In particular, the factor two comes from the quadratic logarithmic moment, rather than from an assumption of the Prime number theorem.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 ii Paper 3 34D Solution Created 2026-09-23 Updated 2026-09-25
Let the Bravais lattice have primitive vectors , and putThe reciprocal lattice has the basisThe scalar triple product and cross product identities giveConsequently every satisfies for every lattice point , and conversely these three conditions force the coefficients of in the reciprocal basis to be integers. This proves that the displayed vectors generate .
In the Born approximation, suppose that the crystal potential is the sum of translates of one atomic potential over the finite set of lattice sites. Its Fourier transform at the momentum transfer factors asThus the single-atom scattering amplitude is multiplied by the crystal lattice structure factor . Writingseparates the sum into three finite geometric series. For this givesWhen the are large, a factor has a sharp maximum when . All three factors are therefore simultaneously large precisely when . These are the reciprocal-lattice peaks of a finite crystal.
For the stated Body-centered cubic lattice basis,the reciprocal-basis formula givesEquivalently,The shortest nonzero reciprocal vectors have squared Euclidean norm , so
In elastic scattering, . If and is the angle between and , Euclidean geometry givesThe first possible diffraction peak therefore occurs atas , by the small-angle approximation. This is the elastic Bragg scattering condition for the shortest reciprocal-lattice vector.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 ii Paper 3 35A a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
For an ideal gas of identical bosons, the Bose-Einstein distribution gives the mean occupation of a discrete one-particle state aswhere is the chemical potential. If the spectrum is sufficiently dense to use a density of states , the discrete sum becomes