Paper 2, Section II, A

Complex Analysis or Complex Methods | Part IB, 2016

Let a=N+1/2a=N+1 / 2 for a positive integer NN. Let CNC_{N} be the anticlockwise contour defined by the square with its four vertices at a±iaa \pm i a and a±ia-a \pm i a. Let

IN=CNdzz2sin(πz)I_{N}=\oint_{C_{N}} \frac{d z}{z^{2} \sin (\pi z)}

Show that 1/sin(πz)1 / \sin (\pi z) is uniformly bounded on the contours CNC_{N} as NN \rightarrow \infty, and hence that IN0I_{N} \rightarrow 0 as NN \rightarrow \infty.

Using this result, establish that

n=1(1)n1n2=π212\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{(-1)^{n-1}}{n^{2}}=\frac{\pi^{2}}{12}

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