Divisor sum convolutions
[edit]
The sequence
is called the discrete convolution or the Cauchy product of the sequences an and bn.
For integers
and
define the convolution sum
. Note that
For odd integers
, the sum
can be evaluated in terms of
. Namely:









These are the only
that can be evaluated in terms of divisor sums and polynomials in
. For odd integers
, evaluating the sum requires the Ramanujam function
. For example:

There are many other similar formulas. For example:

See Eisenstein series for a discussion of the series and functional identities involved in these formulas.[1]
[2]
[3]
[3][4]
[2][5]
where τ(n) is Ramanujan's function. [6][7]
Since σk(n) (for natural number k) and τ(n) are integers, the above formulas can be used to prove congruences[8] for the functions. See Ramanujan tau function for some examples.
Extend the domain of the partition function by setting p(0) = 1.
[9] This recurrence can be used to compute p(n).
- ^ The paper by Huard, Ou, Spearman, and Williams in the external links also has proofs.
- ^ a b Ramanujan, On Certain Arithmetical Functions, Table IV; Papers, p. 146
- ^ a b Koblitz, ex. III.2.8
- ^ Koblitz, ex. III.2.3
- ^ Koblitz, ex. III.2.2
- ^ Koblitz, ex. III.2.4
- ^ Apostol, Modular Functions ..., Ex. 6.10
- ^ Apostol, Modular Functions..., Ch. 6 Ex. 10
- ^ G.H. Hardy, S. Ramannujan, Asymptotic Formulæ in Combinatory Analysis, § 1.3; in Ramannujan, Papers p. 279