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For $(a,q)=1$,The Orthogonality of Dirichlet characters expresses it in terms of character-twisted Von Mangoldt functions.

The Von Mangoldt function is nonnegative and satisfies ${\sum }_{d\mid m}\Lambda (d)=\log m$. Therefore the middle short-divisor coefficient in the Vaughan identity has the displayed pointwise bound. Grouping its long-divisor term as ${\mu }_{>U}(m)b(n)$, with $b(n)={\sum }_{d\mid n,d>V}\Lambda (d)$, gives $0\le b(n)\le \log n$. This grouping permits bounded-coefficient Type II sums after division by $\log N$.

For $f(n)=3^{\omega (n)}$,If $p^a\Vert n$, its contribution to $(f\ast \Lambda )(n)$ is $f(n)(a-1+1/3)\log p$. Since $3(a-1+1/3)\ge a$, summing over the prime factors proves the bound. Here $\ast$ is Dirichlet convolution and $\Lambda$ is the Von Mangoldt function.

For $(a,q)=1$ and $q\le {\log }^{A}N$, apply the Siegel–Walfisz theorem to every reduced residue class with error exponent $A+B+2$. The main terms sum to $N{c}_q(a)/\phi (q)$, where the Ramanujan sum satisfies $c_q(a)=\mu (q)$ for coprime $a,q$. Nonunits with nonzero Von Mangoldt function are powers of primes dividing $q$ and contribute at most $\omega (q)\log N$, which is absorbed by the error. For arbitrary $a$, the correct main term is $N{c}_q(a)/\phi (q)$; the reduced numerator hypothesis cannot be omitted.

Vinogradov's three-primes theorem states that every sufficiently large odd positive integer is a sum of three primes, with repetitions allowed. The parity restriction is a genuine local obstruction to the main asymptotic, not merely a technical convenience.

Let $n$ be large and define the prime-weighted exponential sumwhere $\Lambda$ is the Von Mangoldt function. Character orthogonality gives the Hardy-Littlewood circle method identityThe task is to extract a positive main term from rational neighborhoods and make the remaining integral smaller.

Take $Q=(\log n{)}^B$, with a fixed sufficiently large $B$, and use major arcs $|\theta -a/q|\le Q/n$ around reduced fractions with $q\le Q$. They are disjoint once $n$ is large relative to $Q^3$. The minor arcs are their complement. On a major arc put $\theta =a/q+\beta$. The Siegel–Walfisz theorem, followed by partial summation in each residue class, givesuniformly on these arcs after choosing the underlying logarithmic error exponent sufficiently large. The reduced residue-class sum is the Ramanujan sum $c_q(a)=\mu (q)$ when $(a,q)=1$. Prime powers dividing $q$ and the partial-summation factor $1+n|\beta |$ are absorbed in the stated error choice.

Cubing and integrating produces the singular series and singular integral:The last identity is Fourier inversion for the volume of the simplex $t_1+t_2+t_3=n$, $t_i\ge 0$; the upper bounds $t_i\le n$ do not restrict its interior. The tails and approximation errors are $o(n^2)$. Since $\mu (q{)}^3=\mu (q)$ on squarefree $q$, multiplicativity givesFor even $n$ the factor at $2$ vanishes. For odd $n$ it is $2$, andThe lower bound is uniform in odd $n$. The product converges because the sums of the local deviations converge. It describes how congruence restrictions alter the otherwise random prime-summand density.

For the minor arcs, a Type I/II prime-sum estimate provides the necessary cancellation. One useful form, obtainable from Vaughan's identity and bilinear estimates, iswhen $|\theta -a/q|\le q^{-2}$. Dirichlet's approximation theorem supplies a denominator $q\le n/Q$ with $|\theta -a/q|\le Q/(qn)$. On the minor arcs its denominator must exceed $Q$, so both denominator-dependent terms are at most $n/\sqrt{Q}$. Choosing $B$ large gives ${\sup }_{\mathfrak{m}}|S(\theta )|=o(n/\log n)$. The mechanism is to split $\Lambda$ into short-divisor Type I sums and bilinear Type II sums; geometric-sum bounds treat Type I, while Cauchy-Schwarz exposes correlations and rational spacing in Type II. The displayed estimate is the substantive analytic input, rather than a consequence of bounding each summand separately.

Meanwhile Parseval identity and the elementary prime-weight second moment giveThereforeCombining the two regions yields $R_{\Lambda }(n)=\frac{1}{2}\mathfrak{S}(n)n^2+o(n^2)$. Proper prime powers account for only $O(n^{3/2}(\log n{)}^4)$: there are $O(\sqrt{n}\log n)$ such choices for one coordinate, at most $n$ choices for another, and each weight is at most $\log n$. Hence they cannot account for the positive main term. The weighted count using primes alone is positive for every sufficiently large odd $n$, proving the asserted representation. The conclusion is the sufficiently-large three-prime theorem; no verification of every small odd integer is supplied by this argument.

Write $\theta (x)={\sum }_{p\le x}\log p$ for the Chebyshev theta function and $\psi (x)={\sum }_{n\le x}\Lambda (n)$ for the Second Chebyshev function, where $\Lambda$ is the Von Mangoldt function. We first establish the Chebyshev estimate. Every prime $n<p\le 2n$ divides the central binomial coefficient $\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{2n}{n}\right)$, soApply this at successive powers of two and use monotonicity to obtain $\theta (x)=O(x)$. Sincethe terms $r\ge 2$ contribute $O(\sqrt{x}\log x)$ and therefore $\psi (x)=O(x)$. This Chebyshev estimate from central binomial coefficients is all the information about the distribution of primes needed here.

The Von Mangoldt divisor identity $\log n={\sum }_{d\mid n}\Lambda (d)$ gives the factorial proof of Mertens first theorem. With $N=\lfloor x\rfloor$, interchange the finite sums to obtainComparison of ${\sum }_{n\le N}\log n$ with ${\int }_1^N\log tdt$ gives $\log N!=N\log N-N+O(\log N)$. Dividing the preceding identity by $x$, using $N=x+O(1)$ and the Chebyshev estimate, givesThe contribution of higher prime powers is bounded independently of $x$, becauseThus the Mertens first theorem is

For the square-root logarithmic sum over primes, apply partial summation to $A(t)$ with weight $(\log t{)}^{-1/2}$. The lower endpoint is understood as $A(2^{-})=0$, soThe main terms are $\sqrt{\log x}$ and $\sqrt{\log x}-\sqrt{\log 2}$. The bounded error in $A(t)$ produces a bounded integral, since ${\int }_2^{\infty }dt/(t(\log t{)}^{3/2})<\infty$. ThereforeNeither argument uses the Prime number theorem.

Write $s=\sigma +it$ and let $\rho =\beta +i\gamma$ run over Nontrivial zeros of the Riemann zeta function, including multiplicity. The bounds involving $\log |t|$ below are for $|t|\ge 3$. At bounded heights their uniform versions use $\log (|t|+3)$; $\log |t|$ itself cannot be the right bound near zero or $|t|=1$.

Start with the Hadamard factorization of the Riemann xi function, an entire function of order one. Its logarithmic derivative has the convergent expansionDifferentiating $\xi (s)=\frac{1}{2}s(s-1){\pi }^{-s/2}\Gamma (s/2)\zeta (s)$ givesThe real sum of $1/\rho$ converges absolutely: $0\le \beta \le 1$ makes its terms $O({\gamma }^{-2})$ at large height, and the order-one Hadamard factorization ensures the required summability. Thus these terms and $\Re B$ form a fixed constant. The Stirling formula for the digamma function gives, uniformly for $1<\sigma \le 2$ and $|t|\ge 3$,This is the useful real form of the global partial-fraction expansion of the zeta logarithmic derivative. Every term subtracted is nonnegative because the Euler product excludes zeros with $\beta >1$. At the simple pole $s=1$, one also has $F(\sigma )=1/(\sigma -1)+O(1)$ as $\sigma \downarrow 1$.

The three-four-one zero-free-region argument now detects a zero too close to one. The Von Mangoldt function is nonnegative and the absolutely convergent Dirichlet series givesbecause the corresponding coefficient at $n$ is $\Lambda (n)n^{-\sigma }[3+4\cos (t\log n)+\cos (2t\log n)]$. If $\beta +it$ is a zero, retain its term in the expansion at height $t$ and discard the other nonpositive terms. The expansion at height $2t$ gives an upper bound even without retaining a particular zero. We obtain, for an absolute constant $C_0>0$,Choose $0<a<1$ so small that $5/(9a)>C_0$, put $b=a/8$, and take $\sigma =1+a/\log |t|$. If $1-\beta \le b/\log |t|$, the last inequality would requirea contradiction. Thereforefor some fixed $b>0$. This proves the required zero-free region of the Riemann zeta function. Nonvanishing on $\Re s=1$ at bounded nonzero heights, proved in Question 2, and the isolation of zeros allow a decrease of $b$ giving the uniform formulation with $\log (|t|+3)$ as well. Near $s=1$, apply this observation to the nonzero holomorphic function $(s-1)\zeta (s)$.

Next evaluate the real expansion at $\sigma =2$. The absolutely convergent Dirichlet series bounds $|{\zeta }^{\prime }/\zeta (2+it)|\le {\sum }_n\Lambda (n)n^{-2}$ uniformly in $t$, soSince $1\le 2-\beta \le 2$, each term on the left is at least $1/[4+(t-\gamma {)}^2]$. The smoothed zeta zero-count bound follows:Each zero satisfying $|t-\gamma |<1$ contributes more than $1/5$, so this also gives the local zero count for the Riemann zeta function:The same kernel sum is bounded at compact heights, since its tail converges uniformly there; the bounds with $\log (|t|+3)$ are consequently valid for all real $t$.

For completeness, the contour estimate used in Question 2 follows from these very formulas. Subtract the complex logarithmic derivative expansion at $2+it$ from that at $\sigma +it$, with $1-b/(2\log (T+3))\le \sigma \le 2$ and $|t|\le T$. Terms with $|t-\gamma |>1$ have differences $O((t-\gamma {)}^{-2})$, whose sum is $O(\log (|t|+3))$ by the kernel bound. There are $O(\log (|t|+3))$ remaining terms. After reducing $b$, the zero-free region of the Riemann zeta function separates every such zero horizontally from the half-width boundary by $\gg 1/\log (T+3)$: their heights satisfy $|\gamma |\le T+1$. Thus on the left edge, and on the horizontal edges at $t=\pm T$, each reciprocal is $O(\log (T+3))$. The Gamma function and pole terms satisfy the same required bound; at small heights on the left edge the pole distance is $\gg 1/\log (T+3)$. This proves $|{\zeta }^{\prime }/\zeta |\ll {\log }^2(T+3)$ on those edges and justifies the contour shift without choosing heights that dodge unknown zeros.

First continue the Riemann zeta function into $\Re s>0$. Summing the integral of the integer-part function gives, initially for $\Re s>1$,The last integral defines a holomorphic function for $\Re s>0$, so this continuation has only a simple pole at one, of residue one.

For $\sigma >1$, logarithmic expansion of the Euler product and $3+4\cos v+\cos 2v=2(1+\cos v{)}^2\ge 0$ giveThis proves the three-four-one product proof of zeta boundary nonvanishing inequalityIf $t\ne 0$ and $\zeta (1+it)=0$ to order $r\ge 1$, the middle factor is $O((\sigma -1{)}^{4r})$, the first is $O((\sigma -1{)}^{-3})$, and the last remains bounded. Their product tends to zero, a contradiction. At $t=0$ there is a pole, not a zero. The zeta function has no zero on $\Re s=1$.

Put $I(x)={\int }_0^x\psi (u)du={\sum }_{n\le x}(x-n)\Lambda (n)$, where $\Lambda$ is the Von Mangoldt function. Logarithmic differentiation of the Euler product gives $-{\zeta }^{\prime }(s)/\zeta (s)={\sum }_n\Lambda (n)n^{-s}$ for $\Re s>1$. The first integral of the Chebyshev function is consequentlyTo check its kernel, evaluate the contour integral of $y^s/(s(s+1))$ by closing to the left for $y>1$ and to the right for $0<y<1$. The residues at zero and minus one give $1-y^{-1}$ in the first case and zero in the second. Multiplication by $x$ and substitution $y=x/n$ therefore produce $(x-n{)}_{+}$. On the line $c>1$, the Dirichlet series and vertical integral have absolute convergence, justifying their interchange; at $x=n$ the kernel is zero on either side.

Here is the smoothing step that establishes the requested asymptotic. Shift the line of this contour integral to the left. The pole of $-{\zeta }^{\prime }/\zeta$ at one has residue $+1$; at each Nontrivial zero of the Riemann zeta function $\rho$ of zero multiplicity $m_{\rho }$ its residue is $-m_{\rho }$. The denominators also contribute at zero and minus one, and the trivial zeros of the Riemann zeta function occur at $-2,-4,\dots$. Summing these residues yields the smoothed explicit formula for the Chebyshev functionZeros are repeated with zero multiplicity. For the limits of the contour integral, choose horizontal heights avoiding zero ordinates, where the logarithmic derivative on each fixed strip is $O((\log T{)}^2)$. The factor $s(s+1)$ makes their integrals tend to zero. On left edges chosen a fixed distance from the trivial zeros, the functional equation of the Riemann zeta function controls the logarithmic derivative by $O(\log (|s|+2))$; for fixed $x>1$ the remaining vertical integral vanishes as that edge moves left. This is why the extra integration of $\psi$ is useful.

The Riemann–von Mangoldt formula, stated in Question 3, gives $N(T)=O(T\log T)$, henceIndeed each dyadic height block contributes $O((\log T)/T)$. The zero-free line just proved, the nonvanishing Euler product on its right, and the functional equation of the Riemann zeta function put every Nontrivial zero of the Riemann zeta function in $0<\Re \rho <1$. Therefore each $x^{\rho -1}$ tends to zero, with absolute value at most one for $x\ge 1$. Divide the explicit formula by $x^2$ and use dominated convergence on the zero terms with absolute convergence. The remaining displayed terms are $o(x^2)$, and we obtain

Monotonicity of $\psi$ removes the smoothing. For $0<h<1$,After division by $x$, the limits of the two bounds are $1-h/2$ and $1+h/2$. Let $h\downarrow 0$ to get $\psi (x)\sim x$. Question 1 gives $\psi (x)-\vartheta (x)=O(\sqrt{x}\log x)=o(x)$, so $\vartheta (x)\sim x$. Partial summation now givesThe integral is $O(x/(\log x{)}^2)$, by splitting at $\sqrt{x}$ and using $\vartheta (t)=O(t)$. Inverting this at $x=p_n$, we have $n\sim p_n/\log p_n$ and hence $\log n\sim \log p_n$. Thus the $n$th prime satisfies

The Von Mangoldt function is supported on prime powers:Write $e(t)=\exp (2\pi it)$. A convenient form of the Siegel–Walfisz theorem is: for every fixed $A,B>0$, uniformly for $q\le (\log x{)}^B$ and $(a,q)=1$,The implied constant can be ineffective because of possible Siegel zeros; the modulus bound is logarithmic, not an unrestricted uniformity assertion.

Apply this to modulus five and separate the reduced residue classes:The last sum is $O(\log N)$: only powers of five can contribute in the zero residue class. By the orthogonality of roots of unity,since two is coprime to five and the sum including $a=0$ vanishes. As $\phi (5)=4$, the Siegel–Walfisz theorem yieldsThe sum is complex-valued, but the displayed error controls its absolute difference from the real main term.

Write $F(s)=-{\zeta }^{\prime }(s)/\zeta (s)$ and ${\psi }_{\Gamma }={\Gamma }^{\prime }/\Gamma$. The global partial-fraction expansion of the zeta logarithmic derivative isHere $\gamma$ is the Euler--Mascheroni constant, and the sum includes multiplicities of the Nontrivial zeros of the Riemann zeta function. The paired terms are locally absolutely convergent away from their poles, by the Riemann–von Mangoldt formula. This identity follows by differentiating the genus-one Hadamard factorization of the Riemann xi function and using the Gamma function recurrence.

We first prove the classical zero-free region of the Riemann zeta function. The Euler-product nonvanishing of the Riemann zeta function and its functional equation place every nontrivial zero in the closed strip $0\le \beta \le 1$; no assertion about zeros on its boundary is needed yet. The real logarithmic derivative of Riemann xi and the digamma function asymptotic imply, for $1<\sigma \le 2$ and $|t|\ge 1$,Every summand being subtracted is nonnegative. If $\beta +it$ is a zero, retaining its summand gives $\Re F(\sigma +it)\le C\log (|t|+2)-1/(\sigma -\beta )$; at height $2t$ the upper bound $C\log (|t|+2)$ suffices. At real $\sigma$ the simple pole of $\zeta$ gives $F(\sigma )=1/(\sigma -1)+O(1)$.

For $\sigma >1$, the Dirichlet series $F(s)={\sum }_n\Lambda (n)n^{-s}$ has nonnegative coefficients. The identity $3+4\cos u+\cos 2u=2(1+\cos u{)}^2\ge 0$ therefore gives the three-four-one zero-free-region argumentWith $L=\log (|t|+2)$, a zero at $\beta +it$ would consequently satisfyChoose $\sigma =1+a/L$, with an absolute $a>0$ sufficiently small, and put $c=a/8$. If $\beta \ge 1-c/L$, this inequality would imply $4/(a+c)\le 3/a+C$. But $4/(a+a/8)-3/a=5/(9a)>C$ for small enough $a$, a contradiction.

For any fixed $t\ne 0$, the same positivity inequality as $\sigma \downarrow 1$ excludes a zero at $1+it$: its negative contribution has coefficient at least four, whereas the real pole contributes only three. Any zero at $1+2it$ only strengthens the contradiction. The pole at $s=1$ has a zero-free punctured neighbourhood. By compactness, the remaining bounded-height portion of the line has a zero-free neighbourhood as well. Shrink $c$ to combine these facts with the large-height bound. Hencewith the understanding that $s=1$ is a pole.

The Riemann–von Mangoldt explicit formula for the Second Chebyshev function, with half weight at a prime-power endpoint, isThe zero sum uses symmetric height truncation. To estimate it, take a half-integer $x$ and use the truncated explicit formula for the second Chebyshev functionThe zero-free region gives $|x^{\rho }|\le x\exp (-c\log x/\log (T+2))$ for these zeros. The Riemann–von Mangoldt formula and partial summation give ${\sum }_{|\Im \rho |\le T}|\rho {|}^{-1}\ll {\log }^2(T+2)$. Choose $T=\exp (\sqrt{\log x})$. Both the zero sum and the truncation error are then $O(x{e}^{-c^{\prime }\sqrt{\log x}})$ after reducing the positive constant to absorb logarithmic factors. Replacing an arbitrary $X$ by $\lfloor X\rfloor +1/2$ preserves the Von Mangoldt function sum and changes the main term by at most one. This proves the requested form of the Prime number theorem:

Extend $f$ by zero outside $[1,N]\cap \mathbb{Z}$. Here is a dyadic endpoint convention for small Type I and Type II sums. Write $D_M=[M,2M)\cap \mathbb{Z}$, with $M$ a power of two. Type I sums are $\delta$-small if, for every $M\le N^{1/100}$, dyadic $K$ with $MK\le N$, and arbitrary integer intervals $I_m\subset D_K$,Type II sums are $\delta$-small if, for all dyadic $M,K\in [N^{1/100},N^{99/100}]$ and sequences $|a_m|,|b_n|\le 1$,Zero extension handles boxes crossing the endpoint $mn=N$. Fixed choices of open or closed dyadic endpoints do not matter, but interval uniformity and uniformity in both bounded coefficient sequences do matter. These are the estimates used in the Vinogradov Type I–II method.

An interesting technical step is Fourier separation of interval cutoffs. For an integer interval $I_m$, let $\widehat{1_{I_m}}(\theta )={\sum }_{r\in I_m}e(-r\theta )$. Discrete Fourier inversion givesThe exponential geometric sum bound gives a common envelope $H_N(\theta )\ll \min (N,\Vert \theta {\Vert }^{-1})$, with ${\int }_0^1{H}_N\ll \log (2N)$. Divide the interval transform by this envelope: at each frequency it is a bounded coefficient depending on $m$, and $e(n\theta )$ is a bounded coefficient depending on $n$. The Type II sum assumption therefore bounds the interval-cutoff sum by $O(\delta N\log N)$. Choosing the outer unit phases to turn each inner sum into its modulus extends the Type I sum bound to boxes where both variables are in the Type II range.

Take $U=V=\lfloor N^{1/3}\rfloor$. With subscripts denoting truncation of arithmetic functions, the Vaughan identity iswhere $\ast$ now means Dirichlet convolution. For completeness it follows from $\mu \ast 1=ϵ$ and $\Lambda \ast 1=\log$: expand ${\mu }_{>U}\ast {\Lambda }_{>V}\ast 1$, cancel the short terms, and retain $\Lambda$. The short first term contributes $O(N^{1/3}\log N)$ to the sum against $f$.

The next two terms give Type I sums. The logarithmic term has outer coefficient $\mu (m)$, $m\le U$, and inner factor $\log n$, removed by partial summation at a cost $O(\log N)$. In the other term the outer variable is $m=cd\le UV$ with coefficientThis logarithmic coefficient bound in Vaughan identity avoids a loss from a divisor weight. On boxes with short outer variable use the hypothesis directly; on boxes where both variables are at least $N^{1/100}$ use the extended bound proved above. Boxes with inner variable less than $N^{1/100}$ contain at most $O(N^{2/3+1/100})$ pairs in total and are treated trivially. All remaining inner scales are at most $N^{99/100}$ whenever the outer scale exceeds $N^{1/100}$.

For the final convolution, group the variables asBoth variables lie between constant multiples of $N^{1/3}$ and $N^{2/3}$, well inside the Type II range. Divide $b(n)$ by $\log N$, and apply the Type II sum estimate. If the product cutoff is kept explicitly, Fourier separation of interval cutoffs costs only one extra logarithm; zero extension also permits its omission. There are $O({\log }^{2}N)$ boxes in the dyadic decomposition. The coefficient bound and, where needed, partial summation cost at most one more logarithm. These estimates give the convenient boundWith $\delta =(\log N{)}^{-20}$, each term is $o(N)$, proving the assertion. The grouping of the long term uses the nonnegativity of the Von Mangoldt function; more usual groupings instead control a divisor coefficient by a second-moment truncation. Ben Green's notes, Sections 2.3–2.4 describe that standard alternative.

Now take the sign version of the Thue–Morse sequence, $f(n)=(-1{)}^{s_2(n)}$. Concatenation of binary digits gives $f(a{2}^j+r)=f(a)f(r)$ for $0\le r<2^j$. Expanding over all choices of digits proves the Thue–Morse Fourier productPair adjacent factors. If $u=|\cos (\pi t)|$, their modulus issince the maximum on $[0,1]$ occurs at $u=1/\sqrt{3}$. Thus $|S_j(\theta )|\ll 2^{\sigma j}$ uniformly, where $\sigma =\frac{1}{2}{\log }_{2}B=2-\frac{3}{4}{\log }_{2}3<1$.

Every integer interval $J\subset [0,N]$ is a disjoint union of aligned binary blocks with at most two blocks of each length. On such a block the digit concatenation identity and the Thue–Morse Fourier product give the same bound, up to a unit phase. Summing the geometric series proves the uniform interval cancellation for binary digit parityFor a fixed $m$, the sum ${\sum }_{n\in I_m}f(mn)$ is a sum over multiples of $m$ in an integer interval $J\subset [1,N]$. The additive character orthogonality filter givesIts modulus is $O(N^{\sigma })$, independently of $m$ and the interval. Summing at most $O(N^{1/100})$ outer values proves the small Type I sums for binary digit parity:This is smaller than $(\log N{)}^{-20}$ for sufficiently large $N$. It proves the required Type I cancellation; the substantially harder Type II cancellation is not needed for this final clause.

Write $1(n)=1$ and let $\epsilon$ be the Identity for Dirichlet convolution. The Möbius function uses the empty-product convention $\mu (1)=1$; the Von Mangoldt function has $\Lambda (1)=0$. We first establish all the arithmetic function identities needed below. Every integer divisor of $n$ contributes one to $\tau (n)$, so $\tau =1\ast 1$. If $n>1$ has $r$ distinct prime factors, the squarefree divisors correspond to their subsets andAt $n=1$ the sum is one. Thus $\mu \ast 1=\epsilon$. Writing $n={\prod }_p{p}^{v_p(n)}$, the only divisors with nonzero Von Mangoldt function are $p,p^2,\dots ,p^{v_p(n)}$, and henceThe Dirichlet convolution is commutative by replacing $d$ with $n/d$, and associative because either bracketing sums $f(a)g(b)h(c)$ over $abc=n$. ConsequentlyThese are consequences of the definitions, rather than unproved invocations of Möbius inversion.

To identify the constant, integrate on each interval $[j,j+1)$:The tail is $O(1/J)$, since the integrand is at most $2/x^2$ for $x\ge 2$. Summation therefore gives $\gamma ={\lim }_{J\to \infty }(H_J-\log (J+1))$, where $H_J$ is the harmonic number, and $H_J=\log J+\gamma +O(1/J)$. Thus this is Euler's constant.

Put $r=\lfloor \sqrt{N}\rfloor$. Counting pairs of positive integers whose product is at most $N$, and subtracting the square counted twice, gives the Dirichlet hyperbola method identitySince $r=\sqrt{N}+O(1)$, the harmonic number estimate yieldsThe increasing natural logarithm also satisfies ${\sum }_{n\le N}\log n=N\log N-N+O(\log (2N))$ by comparison with its integral. Subtracting proves

For the second implication, denote the Mertens function by $M(x)$ and the Second Chebyshev function by $\psi (x)$. Apply the proved Dirichlet convolution identities to $b(n)=\tau (n)-\log n-2\gamma 1(n)$:Summing this identity over integers up to $N$ gives the exact relationFix an integer $K\ge 2$. The contribution to $E(N)$ from $d\le N/K$ has absolute value at mostFor $d>N/K$, group by $j=\lfloor N/d\rfloor$. This gives exactlyunder the assumed cancellation $M(x)=o(x)$; extending that assumption from integers to real $x$ uses $M(x)=M(\lfloor x\rfloor )$. Therefore ${\mathrm{limsup}}_{N\to \infty }|E(N)|/N\ll K^{-1/2}$. Letting $K\to \infty$ proves the prime number asymptotic from Mertens cancellation:

The rational approximation below is taken in lowest terms, $(a,q)=1$, with $1\le q\le Q$, and $X>0$. This is necessary for denominator-sensitive exponential sum estimates and for the final Ramanujan sum to equal $\mu (q)$. If $0<X<1$, the defining sum over $a\le X$ is empty and $S_4=0$; hence we may assume $1\le X<\sqrt{N}$.

Set $c_u={\sum }_{a\mid u,a\le X}\mu (a)$, so $|c_u|\le \tau (u)$, and write the given Vaughan identity term as the Type II sumUse a dyadic decomposition into $u\in (U,2U]$, $d\in (D,2D]$, retaining $ud\le N$. Empty blocks may be discarded; every remaining block has $U,D\ge X$, $UD<N$, and there are $O({\log }^2(2N))$ blocks. Denote a block by $T$. The Cauchy-Schwarz inequality givesBy the allowed divisor-square summatory bound, the first factor is $O(U{\log }^3(2N))$. Expand the second factor. The diagonal $d_1=d_2$ contributes $O(UD{\log }^2(2N))$, using $0\le \Lambda (d)\le \log (2N)$. For a pair $d_1\ne d_2$, the allowed $u$ form the intervalThus the exponential geometric sum bound applies to this interval even though the original block has a hyperbolic cutoff. For each difference $h=|d_1-d_2|\le D$, there are $O(D)$ ordered pairs, giving an upper boundfor the expanded second factor, with an absolute constant $C$ accommodating integer endpoints. The supplied reciprocal fractional-part sum near a rational, with $M\asymp D$ and $R\asymp U$, bounds the last sum byOne may also derive this directly from the separated reciprocal-distance sum by splitting $h$ into blocks of length at most $q/2$; the approximation error between two block points is at most $1/(2q)$, and the rational rotations are separated by $1/q$.