Inverse factorial function











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1
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I am wondering what is the inverse/opposite factorial function?
e.g inverse-factorial(6)=3



Furthermore, I am intrigued to know the answer to:



a!=π
find a



I would really appreciate if anyone could explain this to me as I have found nowhere online with a good explanation of inverse factorial functions.
Thanks










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  • 1




    See math.stackexchange.com/questions/931846/… and ams.org/journals/proc/2012-140-04/S0002-9939-2011-11023-2
    – lhf
    Nov 14 at 12:21












  • Can you elaborate on what you want out of this? The most popular continuous version of factorial is the Gamma function, but I don't know if "ask a calculator to approximate the solution to $Gamma(x)=pi$ and add $1$ to the answer" is the sort of thing you're looking for. For detailed strategies for approximating answers, maybe see math.stackexchange.com/a/2739498/26369
    – Mark S.
    Nov 14 at 12:29










  • No integer's factorial is $pi$ the only thing you have seen is $frac{1}{2}!=pi$ which is not true. See definition of Gamma function : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_function and see what happened when we put $frac{1}{2}$
    – Sujit Bhattacharyya
    Nov 14 at 12:33










  • also refer to math.stackexchange.com/questions/1624347
    – G Cab
    Nov 14 at 12:53















up vote
1
down vote

favorite
1












I am wondering what is the inverse/opposite factorial function?
e.g inverse-factorial(6)=3



Furthermore, I am intrigued to know the answer to:



a!=π
find a



I would really appreciate if anyone could explain this to me as I have found nowhere online with a good explanation of inverse factorial functions.
Thanks










share|cite|improve this question


















  • 1




    See math.stackexchange.com/questions/931846/… and ams.org/journals/proc/2012-140-04/S0002-9939-2011-11023-2
    – lhf
    Nov 14 at 12:21












  • Can you elaborate on what you want out of this? The most popular continuous version of factorial is the Gamma function, but I don't know if "ask a calculator to approximate the solution to $Gamma(x)=pi$ and add $1$ to the answer" is the sort of thing you're looking for. For detailed strategies for approximating answers, maybe see math.stackexchange.com/a/2739498/26369
    – Mark S.
    Nov 14 at 12:29










  • No integer's factorial is $pi$ the only thing you have seen is $frac{1}{2}!=pi$ which is not true. See definition of Gamma function : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_function and see what happened when we put $frac{1}{2}$
    – Sujit Bhattacharyya
    Nov 14 at 12:33










  • also refer to math.stackexchange.com/questions/1624347
    – G Cab
    Nov 14 at 12:53













up vote
1
down vote

favorite
1









up vote
1
down vote

favorite
1






1





I am wondering what is the inverse/opposite factorial function?
e.g inverse-factorial(6)=3



Furthermore, I am intrigued to know the answer to:



a!=π
find a



I would really appreciate if anyone could explain this to me as I have found nowhere online with a good explanation of inverse factorial functions.
Thanks










share|cite|improve this question













I am wondering what is the inverse/opposite factorial function?
e.g inverse-factorial(6)=3



Furthermore, I am intrigued to know the answer to:



a!=π
find a



I would really appreciate if anyone could explain this to me as I have found nowhere online with a good explanation of inverse factorial functions.
Thanks







factorial inverse-function






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asked Nov 14 at 12:18









Cameron Gray

61




61








  • 1




    See math.stackexchange.com/questions/931846/… and ams.org/journals/proc/2012-140-04/S0002-9939-2011-11023-2
    – lhf
    Nov 14 at 12:21












  • Can you elaborate on what you want out of this? The most popular continuous version of factorial is the Gamma function, but I don't know if "ask a calculator to approximate the solution to $Gamma(x)=pi$ and add $1$ to the answer" is the sort of thing you're looking for. For detailed strategies for approximating answers, maybe see math.stackexchange.com/a/2739498/26369
    – Mark S.
    Nov 14 at 12:29










  • No integer's factorial is $pi$ the only thing you have seen is $frac{1}{2}!=pi$ which is not true. See definition of Gamma function : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_function and see what happened when we put $frac{1}{2}$
    – Sujit Bhattacharyya
    Nov 14 at 12:33










  • also refer to math.stackexchange.com/questions/1624347
    – G Cab
    Nov 14 at 12:53














  • 1




    See math.stackexchange.com/questions/931846/… and ams.org/journals/proc/2012-140-04/S0002-9939-2011-11023-2
    – lhf
    Nov 14 at 12:21












  • Can you elaborate on what you want out of this? The most popular continuous version of factorial is the Gamma function, but I don't know if "ask a calculator to approximate the solution to $Gamma(x)=pi$ and add $1$ to the answer" is the sort of thing you're looking for. For detailed strategies for approximating answers, maybe see math.stackexchange.com/a/2739498/26369
    – Mark S.
    Nov 14 at 12:29










  • No integer's factorial is $pi$ the only thing you have seen is $frac{1}{2}!=pi$ which is not true. See definition of Gamma function : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_function and see what happened when we put $frac{1}{2}$
    – Sujit Bhattacharyya
    Nov 14 at 12:33










  • also refer to math.stackexchange.com/questions/1624347
    – G Cab
    Nov 14 at 12:53








1




1




See math.stackexchange.com/questions/931846/… and ams.org/journals/proc/2012-140-04/S0002-9939-2011-11023-2
– lhf
Nov 14 at 12:21






See math.stackexchange.com/questions/931846/… and ams.org/journals/proc/2012-140-04/S0002-9939-2011-11023-2
– lhf
Nov 14 at 12:21














Can you elaborate on what you want out of this? The most popular continuous version of factorial is the Gamma function, but I don't know if "ask a calculator to approximate the solution to $Gamma(x)=pi$ and add $1$ to the answer" is the sort of thing you're looking for. For detailed strategies for approximating answers, maybe see math.stackexchange.com/a/2739498/26369
– Mark S.
Nov 14 at 12:29




Can you elaborate on what you want out of this? The most popular continuous version of factorial is the Gamma function, but I don't know if "ask a calculator to approximate the solution to $Gamma(x)=pi$ and add $1$ to the answer" is the sort of thing you're looking for. For detailed strategies for approximating answers, maybe see math.stackexchange.com/a/2739498/26369
– Mark S.
Nov 14 at 12:29












No integer's factorial is $pi$ the only thing you have seen is $frac{1}{2}!=pi$ which is not true. See definition of Gamma function : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_function and see what happened when we put $frac{1}{2}$
– Sujit Bhattacharyya
Nov 14 at 12:33




No integer's factorial is $pi$ the only thing you have seen is $frac{1}{2}!=pi$ which is not true. See definition of Gamma function : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_function and see what happened when we put $frac{1}{2}$
– Sujit Bhattacharyya
Nov 14 at 12:33












also refer to math.stackexchange.com/questions/1624347
– G Cab
Nov 14 at 12:53




also refer to math.stackexchange.com/questions/1624347
– G Cab
Nov 14 at 12:53










2 Answers
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Unfortunately there is not a closed form or nice series for the inverse of the factorial (or Gamma function).



First obstacle is that the factorial has a local minimum at $x:;psi(x)=0; to ; x=0.4616..$, so , considering only positive values of the argument, that gives you two values for the inverse.



For an analysis of the problem please refer to this and this papers.

A lighter look is given in this other paper.



Finally an interesting approximated function is given here.






share|cite|improve this answer




























    up vote
    0
    down vote













    inverse functions are not well defined when it is not a $1:1$ function, and as there is a minimum where:
    $$Gamma'(z+1)=0$$
    that is:
    $$int_0^inftypartial_nt^ze^{-t}dt=0$$
    which can be numerically estimated.






    share|cite|improve this answer





















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      2 Answers
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      2 Answers
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      Unfortunately there is not a closed form or nice series for the inverse of the factorial (or Gamma function).



      First obstacle is that the factorial has a local minimum at $x:;psi(x)=0; to ; x=0.4616..$, so , considering only positive values of the argument, that gives you two values for the inverse.



      For an analysis of the problem please refer to this and this papers.

      A lighter look is given in this other paper.



      Finally an interesting approximated function is given here.






      share|cite|improve this answer

























        up vote
        1
        down vote













        Unfortunately there is not a closed form or nice series for the inverse of the factorial (or Gamma function).



        First obstacle is that the factorial has a local minimum at $x:;psi(x)=0; to ; x=0.4616..$, so , considering only positive values of the argument, that gives you two values for the inverse.



        For an analysis of the problem please refer to this and this papers.

        A lighter look is given in this other paper.



        Finally an interesting approximated function is given here.






        share|cite|improve this answer























          up vote
          1
          down vote










          up vote
          1
          down vote









          Unfortunately there is not a closed form or nice series for the inverse of the factorial (or Gamma function).



          First obstacle is that the factorial has a local minimum at $x:;psi(x)=0; to ; x=0.4616..$, so , considering only positive values of the argument, that gives you two values for the inverse.



          For an analysis of the problem please refer to this and this papers.

          A lighter look is given in this other paper.



          Finally an interesting approximated function is given here.






          share|cite|improve this answer












          Unfortunately there is not a closed form or nice series for the inverse of the factorial (or Gamma function).



          First obstacle is that the factorial has a local minimum at $x:;psi(x)=0; to ; x=0.4616..$, so , considering only positive values of the argument, that gives you two values for the inverse.



          For an analysis of the problem please refer to this and this papers.

          A lighter look is given in this other paper.



          Finally an interesting approximated function is given here.







          share|cite|improve this answer












          share|cite|improve this answer



          share|cite|improve this answer










          answered Nov 14 at 12:46









          G Cab

          16.9k31237




          16.9k31237






















              up vote
              0
              down vote













              inverse functions are not well defined when it is not a $1:1$ function, and as there is a minimum where:
              $$Gamma'(z+1)=0$$
              that is:
              $$int_0^inftypartial_nt^ze^{-t}dt=0$$
              which can be numerically estimated.






              share|cite|improve this answer

























                up vote
                0
                down vote













                inverse functions are not well defined when it is not a $1:1$ function, and as there is a minimum where:
                $$Gamma'(z+1)=0$$
                that is:
                $$int_0^inftypartial_nt^ze^{-t}dt=0$$
                which can be numerically estimated.






                share|cite|improve this answer























                  up vote
                  0
                  down vote










                  up vote
                  0
                  down vote









                  inverse functions are not well defined when it is not a $1:1$ function, and as there is a minimum where:
                  $$Gamma'(z+1)=0$$
                  that is:
                  $$int_0^inftypartial_nt^ze^{-t}dt=0$$
                  which can be numerically estimated.






                  share|cite|improve this answer












                  inverse functions are not well defined when it is not a $1:1$ function, and as there is a minimum where:
                  $$Gamma'(z+1)=0$$
                  that is:
                  $$int_0^inftypartial_nt^ze^{-t}dt=0$$
                  which can be numerically estimated.







                  share|cite|improve this answer












                  share|cite|improve this answer



                  share|cite|improve this answer










                  answered Nov 14 at 13:22









                  Henry Lee

                  1,656117




                  1,656117






























                       

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