Graduation Year
2001
Document Type
Open Access Senior Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
Department
Mathematics
Reader 1
Arthur Benjamin
Reader 2
Michael Raugh
Abstract
We seek to discover combinatorial explanations of known identities involving harmonic numbers. Harmonic numbers do not readily lend themselves to combinatorial interpretation, since they are sums of fractions, and combinatorial arguments involve counting whole objects. It turns out that we can transform these harmonic identities into new identities involving Stirling numbers, which are much more apt to combinatorial interpretation. We have proved four of these identities, the first two being special cases of the third.
Recommended Citation
Preston, Greg, "Combinatorial Explanations of Known Harmonic Identities" (2001). HMC Senior Theses. 134.
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/hmc_theses/134
Thesis Proposal
