Chapter Gamma and Beta Function

1
Beta Function: 𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) = ∫0 𝑥 𝑙−1 (1 − 𝑥)𝑚−1 𝑑𝑥 is called the Beta function
of 𝑙, 𝑚.
⎾𝑙 ⎾𝑚
Evaluation of Beta function: 𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) =
⎾(𝑙+𝑚)

A property of Beta function: 𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) = 𝛽(𝑚, 𝑙)

Proof:
1
We have 𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) = ∫0 𝑥 𝑙−1 (1 − 𝑥)𝑚−1 𝑑𝑥
1
⇒ 𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) = ∫0 (1 − 𝑥)𝑙−1 [1 − (1 − 𝑥)]𝑚−1 𝑑𝑥
1
⇒ 𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) = ∫0 (1 − 𝑥)𝑙−1 𝑥 𝑚−1 𝑑𝑥
1
⇒ 𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) = ∫0 𝑥 𝑚−1 (1 − 𝑥)𝑙−1 𝑑𝑥 = 𝛽(𝑚, 𝑙)

⇒ 𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) = 𝛽(𝑚, 𝑙) 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑑.

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1 5
Example: Evaluate ∫0 𝑥 4 (1 − √𝑥) 𝑑𝑥

Solution: Let, √𝑥 = 𝑡 ⇒ 𝑥 = 𝑡 2 so that 𝑑𝑥 = 2𝑡 𝑑𝑡

1 5 1 1
∴ ∫0 𝑥 4 (1 − √𝑥) 𝑑𝑥 = ∫0 (𝑡 2 )4 (1 − 𝑡)5 2𝑡 𝑑𝑡 = ∫0 𝑡 8 (1 − 𝑡)5 2𝑡 𝑑𝑡
1 1 ⎾10 ⎾6
= 2 ∫0 𝑡 9 (1 − 𝑡)5 𝑑𝑡 = 2 ∫0 𝑡 10−1 (1 − 𝑡)6−1 𝑑𝑡 = 2𝛽(10, 6) = 2
⎾16
9! !5 9! 5.4.3.2.1 1 1
=2 =2 = = 𝐴𝑛𝑠.
15! 15.14.13.12.11.10.9! 3.7.13.11.5 15015

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 ∞ 𝑥 𝑙−1
Transformation of Beta function: 𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) = ∫0 (1+𝑥)𝑚+𝑙
𝑑𝑥

Solution:
1
We know that, 𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) = ∫0 𝑥 𝑙−1 (1 − 𝑥)𝑚−1 𝑑𝑥
1 1
Putting 𝑥 = so that, 𝑑𝑥 = − (1+𝑦)2 𝑑𝑦
1+𝑦
1 1+𝑦−1 𝑦
And 1 − 𝑥 = 1 − = =
1+𝑦 1+𝑦 1+𝑦

Limit Change:
𝑥 0 1
𝑦 ∞ 0

We get,
0 1 𝑙−1 𝑦 𝑚−1 1
𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) = ∫∞ ( ) (1+𝑦) (−) dy
1+𝑦 (1+𝑦)2

∞ 𝑦 𝑚−1
⇒ 𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) = ∫0 (1+𝑦)𝑙+𝑚
dy

Since 𝑙, 𝑚 can be interchanged in 𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) [∵ 𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) = 𝛽(𝑚, 𝑙)]

∞ 𝑦 𝑙−1
𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) = ∫0 (1+𝑦)𝑚+𝑙
dy

∞ 𝑥 𝑙−1
⇒ 𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) = ∫0 (1+𝑥)𝑚+𝑙
dx [Changing the variable]

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 ⎾𝑙 ⎾𝑚
Relation between Beta and Gamma function: 𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) =
⎾(𝑙+𝑚)
∞ ∞
We know, ⎾𝑙 = ∫0 𝑒 −𝑦 𝑦 𝑙−1 𝑑𝑦 [ ⎾𝑛 = ∫0 𝑒 −𝑥 𝑥 𝑛−1 𝑑𝑥 ]

Putting 𝑦 = 𝑧𝑥 so that, 𝑑𝑦 = 𝑧 𝑑𝑥
∞
We get, ⎾𝑙 = ∫0 𝑒 −𝑧𝑥 (𝑧𝑥)𝑙−1 . 𝑧 𝑑𝑥
∞
⇒ ⎾𝑙 = ∫0 𝑒 −𝑧𝑥 𝑧 𝑙−1 𝑥 𝑙−1 . 𝑧 𝑑𝑥
∞
⇒ ⎾𝑙 = ∫0 𝑒 −𝑧𝑥 𝑧 𝑙−1+1 . 𝑥 𝑙−1 𝑑𝑥
∞
⇒ ⎾𝑙 = ∫0 𝑒 −𝑧𝑥 𝑧 𝑙 . 𝑥 𝑙−1 𝑑𝑥

Multiplying both sides by 𝑒 −𝑧 𝑧 𝑚−1 , we have

∞
⇒ ⎾𝑙. 𝑒 −𝑧 𝑧 𝑚−1 = ∫0 𝑒 −𝑧 𝑧 𝑚−1 . 𝑒 −𝑧𝑥 𝑧 𝑙 . 𝑥 𝑙−1 𝑑𝑥
∞
⇒ ⎾𝑙. 𝑒 −𝑧 𝑧 𝑚−1 = ∫0 𝑒 −(1+𝑥)𝑧 . 𝑧 𝑙+𝑚−1 . 𝑥 𝑙−1 𝑑𝑥

Integrating both sides w.r.t. ‘𝑧’, we get

∞ ∞ ∞
⇒ ∫0 ⎾𝑙. 𝑒 −𝑧 𝑧 𝑚−1 𝑑𝑧 = ∫0 ∫0 𝑒 −(1+𝑥)𝑧 . 𝑧 𝑙+𝑚−1 . 𝑥 𝑙−1 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑧
∞ ∞ ∞
⇒ ⎾𝑙 ∫0 𝑒 −𝑧 𝑧 𝑚−1 𝑑𝑧 = ∫0 𝑥 𝑙−1 𝑑𝑥 ∫0 𝑒 −(1+𝑥)𝑧 . 𝑧 𝑙+𝑚−1 𝑑𝑧
∞ ⎾(𝑙+𝑚) ∞ ⎾𝑛
⇒ ⎾𝑙⎾𝑚 = ∫0 𝑥 𝑙−1 𝑑𝑥 . (1+𝑥)𝑙+𝑚
[∵ ∫0 𝑒 −𝑘𝑦 𝑦 𝑛−1 𝑑𝑦 = ]
𝑘𝑛

∞ ⎾(𝑙+𝑚) ∞ ⎾𝑛
⇒ ⎾𝑙⎾𝑚 = ∫0 𝑥 𝑙−1 𝑑𝑥 . (1+𝑥)𝑙+𝑚
[∵ ∫0 𝑒 −𝑘𝑦 𝑦 𝑛−1 𝑑𝑦 = ]
𝑘𝑛

⎾𝑙 ⎾𝑚 ∞ 𝑥 𝑙−1
⇒ = ∫0 (1+𝑥)𝑚+𝑙
𝑑𝑥 = 𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚)
⎾(𝑙+𝑚)

⎾𝑙 ⎾𝑚
⇒ 𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) =
⎾(𝑙+𝑚)

This is the required relation.

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 𝝅 𝒑+𝟏 𝒒+𝟏
⌈ ⌈
𝒑 𝒒 𝟐 𝟐
Show that: ∫𝟎 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜽 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝜽 𝒅𝜽 =
𝟐
𝒑+𝒒+𝟐
𝟐⌈
𝟐

Solution:
We know that,
1
𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) = ∫0 𝑥 𝑙−1 (1 − 𝑥)𝑚−1 𝑑𝑥 … … … (1)

Putting 𝑥 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝜃 so that 𝑑𝑥 = 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 𝑑𝜃

Limit Change:
𝑥 0 1
𝜃 0 𝜋
2
Then (1) becomes
𝜋
𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) = ∫0 (𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝜃 )𝑙−1 (1 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝜃 )𝑚−1 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 𝑑𝜃
2

𝜋
⇒ 𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) = ∫0 (𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝜃 )𝑙−1 (𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 𝜃 )𝑚−1 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 𝑑𝜃
2

𝜋
⇒ 𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) = 2 ∫0 𝑠𝑖𝑛2𝑙−2 𝜃 co𝑠 2𝑚−2 𝜃 . 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 𝑑𝜃
2

𝜋
⇒ 𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) = 2 ∫0 𝑠𝑖𝑛2𝑙−2+1 𝜃 co𝑠 2𝑚−2+1 𝜃 𝑑𝜃
2

𝜋
⇒ 𝛽(𝑙, 𝑚) = 2 ∫02 𝑠𝑖𝑛2𝑙−1 𝜃 co𝑠 2𝑚−1 𝜃 𝑑𝜃
𝜋
⎾𝑙 ⎾𝑚
⇒ = 2 ∫02 𝑠𝑖𝑛2𝑙−1 𝜃 co𝑠 2𝑚−1 𝜃 𝑑𝜃
⎾(𝑙+𝑚)
𝑝+1 𝑞+1
Putting 2𝑙 − 1 = 𝑝 ⇒ 𝑙 = 𝑎𝑛𝑑 2𝑚 − 1 = 𝑞 ⇒ 𝑚 =
2 2
𝑝+1 𝑞+1 𝜋
⎾( ) ⎾( ) 𝑝+1 𝑞+1
We get, 2
𝑝+𝑞+2
2
= 2 ∫02 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 2
−1
𝜃 co𝑠 2 2
−1
𝜃 𝑑𝜃
⎾( 2 )

𝑝+1 𝑞+1 𝜋
⎾( ) ⎾( )
⇒ 2
𝑝+𝑞+2
2
= ∫0 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑝+1−1 𝜃 co𝑠 𝑞+1−1 𝜃 𝑑𝜃
2
2⎾( 2 )

𝑝+1 𝑞+1 𝜋
⎾( ) ⎾( )
⇒ 2
𝑝+𝑞+2
2
= ∫0 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑝 𝜃 co𝑠 𝑞 𝜃 𝑑𝜃
2
2⎾( 2 )

𝜋 𝒑+𝟏 𝒒+𝟏
⌈ ⌈
𝑝 𝑞 𝟐 𝟐
⇒ ∫0 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 co𝑠 𝜃 𝑑𝜃 =
2
𝒑+𝒒+𝟐 𝑆ℎ𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑑.
𝟐⌈
𝟐
 𝟏
𝟏 𝒅𝒙 √𝝅 ⌈ 𝟒
Example: Prove that: ∫𝟎 √ 𝟒 =
𝟏−𝒙 𝟒 ⌈𝟑
𝟒

1 𝑑𝑥
Solution: Here, we have ∫0
√1−𝑥 4
cos 𝜃
Putting 𝑥 2 = sin 𝜃 ⇒ 𝑥 = √sin 𝜃 𝑑𝜃 so that 𝑑𝑥 = 𝑑𝜃
2√sin 𝜃

Limit Change:
𝑥 0 1
𝜃 0 𝜋
2

𝜋 𝜋
1 cos 𝜃 1 cos 𝜃
We get, ∫0 2 dθ = ∫0 2 dθ
√1−𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝜃 2√sin 𝜃 √𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 𝜃 2√sin 𝜃
𝜋 𝜋 𝜋 1
1 cos 𝜃 1 1 1
= ∫02 dθ = ∫02 dθ = ∫02 𝑠𝑖𝑛−2 𝜃 co𝑠 0 𝜃 dθ
𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 2√sin 𝜃 2 √sin 𝜃 2
1
− +1 0+1
⌈ 2 ⌈ 𝜋 ⌈
𝒑+𝟏 𝒒+𝟏
⌈
1 2 2
𝑝 𝑞 𝟐 𝟐
= 1 [∵ ∫0 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 co𝑠 𝜃 𝑑𝜃 =
2
𝒑+𝒒+𝟐 ]
2 − +0+2 𝟐⌈
2⌈ 2 2 𝟐

1
𝟏
⌈2 ⌈ 1 𝟏 1 1
1 2 𝟐 1 ⌈4 ⌈𝟐 1 ⌈ 4 . √𝜋 √𝜋 ⌈4
= 3 = 3 = 3 = 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑑.
2 4 ⌈ 4 ⌈ 4 ⌈3
𝟐⌈ 2 4 4 4
2

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𝟏
Example: Find the value of ⌈ = √𝝅
𝟐
𝜋 𝒑+𝟏 𝒒+𝟏
⌈ ⌈
𝑝 𝑞 𝟐 𝟐
Solution: We know that ∫0 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 co𝑠 𝜃 𝑑𝜃 = 2
𝒑+𝒒+𝟐
𝟐⌈
𝟐
Putting, 𝑝 = 𝑞 = 0,
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟐
𝜋 ⌈ ⌈ (⌈ )
𝟐 𝟐 𝟐 1
We get, ∫0 𝑑𝜃 = 2
𝟐 = =
𝟐⌈ 𝟐⌈𝟏 2
𝟐

𝜋 𝟏 𝟐 𝟏 𝟐
(⌈ ) 𝜋 (⌈ )
2 𝟐 𝟐
⇒ [𝜃]0 = ⇒ [ − 0] =
𝟐⌈𝟏 2 𝟐.𝟏

𝟏 𝟐
𝜋 (⌈ ) 𝟏 𝟐 𝟏
𝟐
⇒ = ⇒ (⌈ ) =𝜋 ⇒ ⌈ = √𝜋 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑑.
2 𝟐 𝟐 𝟐

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