ARTICLE IN PRESS

Advances in Mathematics 191 (2005) 408–422

http://www.elsevier.com/locate/aim

Ramanujan’s ‘‘Lost’’ notebook IX: the partial

theta function as an entire function
George E. Andrews
,1
Number Theory Group, Department of Mathematics, The Pennsylvania State University, Room 218,
McAllister Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA
Received 23 May 2003; accepted 18 March 2004
Available online 14 May 2004

Communicated by Anders Björner

Abstract
P 2
We establish the infinite product expansion for n^0 an qn : This is a corrected version of the
expansion stated in Ramanujan’s ‘‘Lost’’ Notebook. The proof requires the study of a new
family of polynomials which while not orthogonal have many similar properties.
r 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction

In [3], Ramanujan’s infinite product expansion for

X
N 2
qn an
1þ ð1:1Þ
n¼1
ð1  qÞð1  q2 Þ?ð1  qn Þ

is proved. The proof relies heavily on the fact that this series is in fact a limit of a
family of orthogonal polynomials. Namely

X
N
qn an
2

lim Kn ðaÞ ¼ 1 þ ; ð1:2Þ

n-N
n¼1
ð1  qÞð1  q2 Þ?ð1  qn Þ

Tel.: 814-865-6642; fax: 814-865-3735.
E-mail address: andrews@math.psu.edu.
1
Partially supported by National Science Foundation Grant DMS-0200047.

0001-8708/$ - see front matter r 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.aim.2004.03.013
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
G.E. Andrews / Advances in Mathematics 191 (2005) 408–422 409

where
n  
X n 2
Kn ðaÞ ¼ qj aj ; ð1:3Þ
j¼0 j q

and
8
  A
< ð1  q Þ?ð1  q
ABþ1
Þ
A if 0%B%A;
¼ ð1  qB Þ?ð1  qÞ ð1:4Þ
B q :
0 otherwise:
The Kn ðaÞ are the Stieltjes–Wigert polynomials, and their properties are fully
catalogued in [7].
Just below the middle of page 26 in Ramanujan’s Lost Notebook [6, p. 26],
Ramanujan asserts
X
N
2
Y
N

an qn ¼ 1 þ aq2n1 ð1 þ y1 ðnÞ þ y2 ðnÞ þ ?Þ ; ð1:5Þ

n¼0 n¼1

where PN
j¼n ð1Þj qjðjþ1Þ
y1 ðnÞ ¼ PN ð1:6Þ
j¼0 ð1Þj ð2j þ 1Þqjðjþ1Þ
and P P 
N
j¼n ðj þ 1Þð1Þj qjðjþ1Þ N
j¼n ð1Þ q
j jðjþ1Þ

y2 ðnÞ ¼ P 2 : ð1:7Þ
N j jðjþ1Þ
j¼0 ð1Þ ð2j þ 1Þq

This result greatly resembles the theorem proved in [3] about (1.1). However the
former result had the great advantage that the Kn ðaÞ were orthogonal polynomials.
In the case of (1.5), I have been able to find an analogous sequence of polynomials,
namely
Xn  
2 2 2 n q2j
pn ðaÞ ¼ ðq ; q ÞN ðaq; q Þn ; ð1:8Þ
j¼0 j q2
ðaq; q2 Þj

where
ðA; qÞn ¼ ð1  AÞð1  AqÞ?ð1  Aqn1 Þ: ð1:9Þ
We shall see in Section 2 that
X
N
2
lim pn ðaÞ ¼ qj aj : ð1:10Þ
n-N
j¼0

However, the pn ðaÞ; in glaring contrast to the Kn ðaÞ; are not orthogonal on the real
line. Hence the properties of these polynomials must all be developed ex nihilo.
In Section 2, we shall derive basic facts about the pn ðaÞ including the fact that each
has only simple, real, negative zeros. In Section 3, we shall establish a monotonicity
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
410 G.E. Andrews / Advances in Mathematics 191 (2005) 408–422

theorem for these zeros which is similar to but more complicated than the classical
Interlacing Theorem [4, p. 28] for real orthogonal polynomials, a result employed
effectively for the Kn ðaÞ in [3].
The results from Sections 2 and 3 will be adequate to establish some sort of infinite
product like that in (1.5). However, Section 5 will be devoted to obtaining the exact
form of (1.5). In Section 4 we require some results on theta function expansions that
we will have to employ subsequently.

2. Basic properties of polynomials pn ðaÞ

Theorem 1. For jqjo1;

X
N
2
lim pn ðaÞ ¼ aj qj : ð2:1Þ
n-N
j¼0

Proof. From (1.8) we see that

X
N
q2j
lim pn ðaÞ ¼ ðq2 ; q2 ÞN ðaq; q2 ÞN
n-N
n¼0
ðq2 ; q2 Þ 2
j ðaq; q Þj

0; 0; q2 ; q2
¼ ðq2 ; q2 ÞN ðaq; q2 ÞN 2f1
aq

2 2 2 ðb; q2 ÞN aq=b; q2 ; q2 ; b
¼ ðq ; q ÞN ðaq; q ÞN lim 2 2 2f1
b-0 ðq ; q ÞN ðaq; q2 ÞN 0
ðby Heine’s transformation ½2; p: 19; Corollary 2:3 Þ

X
N
2
¼ aj qj : &
j¼0

Theorem 2. pn ðq2m1 Þ40 for 0%mon; 0oqo1:

hi
n
Proof. We know that the coefficients of j q are all positive; so assuming 0%mon
and 0oqo1; we see that
X n  
1 2m1 n
2 2
p n ðq Þ ¼ q2j ðq2mþ2j ; q2 Þnj
ðq ; q ÞN j¼0 j q 2

Xn  
n
¼ q2j ð1  q2j2m Þ?ð1  q2n2m2 Þ
j¼mþ1 j q2

40

because each term of this sum is clearly positive. &

Theorem 3. pn ðq4m2 Þo0 for 0%moð1=2Þðn  1Þ; 0oqo1=4:

 ARTICLE IN PRESS
G.E. Andrews / Advances in Mathematics 191 (2005) 408–422 411

 
Proof. We start with some auxiliary inequalities. First we recall that AB q is the
generating function for partitions with at most B parts each not exceeding A  B (see
[2, p. 33]). Therefore, if pðnÞ is the number of partitions of n;
  XN
A
0% % pðnÞq2n
B q2 n¼0
YN
1
¼ ðby ½2; p: 4 Þ
n¼1
ð1  q2n Þ
1
¼ ðby ½2; p: 11 Þ
1  q2  q4 þ q10 þ q14  ?
1 1 1 8
o o o ¼ : ð2:2Þ
1  q2  q4 1 1 2 7
1  1
16 256 16
Also
Y
N
ðq; q2 ÞN ¼ ð1  q2nþ1 Þ ¼ ð1  qÞð1  q3 Þð1  q5 Þð1  q7 Þ?
n¼0

4 ð1  qÞð1  q2 Þð1  q4 Þð1  q6 Þ?

4 ð1  qÞð1  q2  q4 Þ

3 1 1 717 7
4 1  ¼ 4 : ð2:3Þ
4 16 256 1024 10
And to avoid confusion in our subsequent calculations, we note that for 1%j%2m;
jð4m  jÞ^0:
Hence for 0oqo1=4; 0%m%ð1=2Þðn  1Þ;
1
pn ðq4m2 Þ
ðq2 ; q2 ÞN
X n  
n
¼ q2j ðq4m1þ2j ; q2 Þnj
j¼0 j q 2

X 2m  
4m1 2 n
¼ ðq ; q Þn þ q2j ðq4m1þ2j ; q2 Þnj
j¼1 j q2
Xn  
n
þ q2j ðq4m1þ2j ; q2 Þnj
j¼2mþ1 j q2

¼ ðq4m1 ; q2 Þ2mþ1 ðq; q2 Þn2m1

2m  
X n
þ q2j ðq4m1þ2j ; q2 Þ2mþ1j ðq; q2 Þn2m1
j¼1 j q2
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
412 G.E. Andrews / Advances in Mathematics 191 (2005) 408–422

X
n  
n
þ q2j ðq4m1þ2j ; q2 Þnj
j¼2mþ1 j q2
2
¼  qð2mþ1Þ ðq; q2 Þ2mþ1 ðq; q2 Þn2m1

X
2m  
j1 n 2
þ ð1Þ q2jð2mjþ1Þ ðq; q2 Þ2mþ1j ðq; q2 Þn2m1
j¼1 j q2
X
n  
n
þ q2j ðq4m1þ2j ; q2 Þnj
j¼2mþ1 j q2
2
o  qð2mþ1Þ ðq; q2 Þ2N
2m  
X n 2 2
þ qð2mþ1Þ þ4mjj þ4j

j¼1 j q2
Xn  
n
þ q2j
j¼2mþ1 j q 2
!
n  
X
ð2mþ1Þ2 n
oq ðq; q2 Þ2N  q 2j

j¼1 j q2
2 !
N 2j
ð2mþ1Þ2 7 8X 1
oq  ðby ð2:2Þ and ð2:3ÞÞ
10 7 j¼1 4
869 ð2mþ1Þ2
¼  q o0: &
2100

The final results in this section concern a related sequence of polynomials pn ðaÞ
given by
Xn  
2 2 n
pn ðaÞ ¼ ðq ; q ÞN ðaq2jþ1 ; q2 Þnj :
j¼0 j q2

Theorem 4.

pnþ1 ðaÞ  ð1 þ aq2nþ1 Þpn ðaÞ ¼ q2nþ2 pn ðaq2 Þ: ð2:4Þ

Proof.

1 pn ðaÞ pn1 ðaÞ

ðq2 ; q2 ÞN ðaq; q2 Þn ðaq; q2 Þn1
X n     !
n n1 q2j
¼  2
j¼0 j q2 j q2 ðaq; q Þj
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
G.E. Andrews / Advances in Mathematics 191 (2005) 408–422 413

X
n  
2n2j q2j
n1
¼ q
j¼0 j  1 q2 ðaq; q2 Þj
n1 
X 
2n n1 1
¼ q
j¼0 j q2 ðaq; q2 Þjþ1
q2n pn1 ðaq2 Þ
¼ :
ðq2 ; q2 ÞN ðaq; q2 Þn

Multiplying this identity by ðaq; q2 Þn ðq2 ; q2 ÞN and then replacing n by n þ 1; we

obtain Theorem 4. &

Finally

Theorem 5. For 0%i%ð1=2Þn; 0oqo1=4; and q4iþ1 4a4  q4i1 ; pn ðaÞ40:

Proof. We first treat i ¼ 0: In this case, q4a4  q1 ; so q2 4aq4  1:

Consequently for h^0;

1 þ aq2hþ1 41 þ aq41  140:

Therefore every term of pn ðaÞ is positive for a in this interval. So

pn ðaÞ40 for  q4a4  q1 :

Now we assume 0oi%ð1=2Þn and 0oqo1=4; and also q4iþ1 4a4  q4i1 :
Thus

1
pn ðaÞ ¼ ðaq; q2 Þ2i ðaq4iþ1 ; q2 Þn2i
ðq2 ; q2 ÞN
X n 
2i1
þ ðaq2jþ1 ; q2 Þ2ij ðaq4iþ1 ; q2 Þn2i
j¼1 j q 2

X n  
n
þ ðaq2jþ1 ; q2 Þnj
j¼2i j q2

¼ ð1 þ aq4i1 Þðaq4iþ1 ; q2 Þn2i

!
i1
2X 
2 n 2jþ1 2

ðaq; q Þ2i1 þ ðaq ; q Þ2i1j
j¼1 j q2
n  
X n
þ ðaq2jþ1 ; q2 Þnj :
j¼2i j q2
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
414 G.E. Andrews / Advances in Mathematics 191 (2005) 408–422

Now every term of the final sum is positive, and every factor of ðaq4iþ1 ; q2 Þn2i is
positive while ð1 þ aq4iþ1 Þ is negative. So to prove pn ðaÞ40; we must prove

i1
2X 
n
ðaq; q2 Þ2i1  ðaq2jþ1 ; q2 Þ2i1j 40: ð2:5Þ
j¼1 j q2

Now
  
2 2i1 ð2i1Þ2 1 1 1
ðaq; q Þ2i1 ¼ ðaÞ q 1þ 1 þ 3 ? 1 þ 4i3
aq aq aq
2
4 ðaÞ2i1 qð2i1Þ ð1  q2 Þð1  q4 Þ?
2
4 ðaÞ2i1 qð2i1Þ ð1  q2  q4 Þ

2 1 1
4 ðaÞ2i1 qð2i1Þ 1  
16 256
27
4 ðaÞ2i1 qð2i1Þ : ð2:6Þ
8

Recalling (2.2), we see that

2i1 
X
2 n
 ðaq; q Þ2i1  ðaq2jþ1 ; q2 Þ2i1j
j¼1 j q2

7 2X
2
i1
8 2i1j ð1=2Þð2i1jÞð2jþ1þ4i3Þ
4jaj2i1 qð2i1Þ  jaj q
8 j¼1 7
!
2i1 ð2i1Þ2 7 8 2Xi1
j j 2
¼ jaj q  jaj q
8 7 j¼1
!
2i1 ð2i1Þ2 7 8 2Xi1
2
4jaj q  qð4i1Þjj
8 7 j¼1
!
2i1 ð2i1Þ2 7 8X N
2j
^jaj q  q
8 7 j¼1
!
N j
2i1 ð2i1Þ2 7 8X 1
4jaj q 
8 7 j¼1 16
671 2i1 ð2i1Þ2
¼ jaj q 40;
840

and with the establishment of this inequality the Theorem is proved. &
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
G.E. Andrews / Advances in Mathematics 191 (2005) 408–422 415

3. The zeros of pn ðaÞ

Theorem 6. Assuming 0oqo1=4; the zeros of pn ðaÞ are simple, real, and negative. If
we denote them by xn;i (1%i%n), then

q1 4xn;1 4  q2 4xn;2 4  q3 4  q5 4xn;3 4  q6 4xn;4 4  q7 4y :

In general,

q4j1 4xn;2jþ1 4  q4j2 4xn;2jþ2 4  q4j3 :

Proof. The assertion follows immediately once we recall from Theorem 2 that each
of

pn ðq1 Þ; pn ðq3 Þ; y; pn ðqð2n1Þ Þ

is positive, while each of

pn ðq2 Þ; pn ðq6 Þ; y; pn ðqð4sþ2Þ Þ

is negative where 4s þ 2 is the largest number %2n that is congruent to 2 modulo 4.

If 2n  1 is congruent to 3 mod 4 this gives n sign changes in the appropriate
intervals. If 2n  1 is congruent to 1 modulo 4, then up to qð2n1Þ there are n  1
sign changes and there is one more in ðqð2n1Þ ; qð2nÞ Þ: In either case, the n zeros
are necessarily simple, real, negative, and in the designated intervals. &

Theorem 7. In the notation for the zeros of pn ðaÞ given in Theorem 6, fxn;i gn^i is a
decreasing sequence in n if i is odd, and an increasing sequence if i is even.

Proof. First consider fxn;2i1 gn^2i1 : By Theorem 6,

q4iþ3 4xn;2i1 4  q4iþ2 ;

and by Theorem 4,

pnþ1 ðxn;2i1 Þ ¼ q2nþ2 pn ðq2 xn;2i1 Þ:

Note

q4iþ5 4q2 xn;2i1 4  q4iþ4 4  q4iþ3 ;

and so by Theorem 5, pn ðq2 xn;2i1 Þ40: Therefore

pnþ1 ðxn;2i1 Þ40:

 ARTICLE IN PRESS
416 G.E. Andrews / Advances in Mathematics 191 (2005) 408–422

But

pnþ1 ðq4iþ2 Þo0;

and so

xn;2i1 4xnþ1;2i1 4  q4iþ2 ;

which establishes that fxn;2i1 gn^2i1 is decreasing.

Now consider fxn;2i gn^2i : By Theorem 6,

q4iþ2 4xn;2i 4  q4iþ1 ;

and by Theorem 4,

pnþ1 ðxn;2i Þ ¼ q2nþ2 pn ðq2 xn;2i Þ:

Note

q4iþ5 4  q4iþ4 4q2 xn;2i 4  q4iþ3 ;

and so by Theorem 5, pn ðq2 xn;2i Þ40: Therefore

pnþ1 ðxn;2i Þ40:

But by Theorem 3,

pnþ1 ðq4iþ2 Þo0;

and so

q4iþ2 4xnþ1;2i 4xn;2i ;

which establishes that fxn;2i gn^2i is increasing. &

Theorem 8. For 0oqo1=4; the entire function

X
N
2
pN ðaÞ ¼ an qn
n¼0

has simple, negative real zeros xi which satisfy

q1 4x1 4  q2 4x2 4  q3 4  q5 4x3 4  q6 4x4 4  q7 4y :

Proof. Given that pN ðaÞ is the uniform limit of the sequence pn ðaÞ; that the zeros xn;i
are simple and lie in the same interval as indicated for xi ; and that the xn;i are
monotone in n; the desired result follows. &
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
G.E. Andrews / Advances in Mathematics 191 (2005) 408–422 417

4. A theta function expansion

Theorem 9. Assume jqjo1; and w ¼ 1 þ q=a; then as w goes to 0

X
N
2
ðq2 ; q2 ÞN ðaq; q2 ÞN ða1 q; q2 ÞN ¼ w ð1Þn ð2n þ 1Þqn þn þ Oðw3 Þ:
n¼0

Proof. We recall an identity of Jacobi (see [2, p. 21]):

X
N
2
ðq2 ; q2 ÞN ðaq; q2 ÞN ða1 q; q2 ÞN ¼ an qn : ð4:1Þ
n¼N

Hence
X
N
2
ðq2 ; q2 ÞN ðaq; q2 ÞN ða1 q; q2 ÞN ¼ an qn
n¼N
X
N
2
¼ ð1Þn qn n ð1  wÞn
n¼N
XN  
2 n
¼ ð1Þn qn n 1  nw þ w2 þ Oðw3 Þ :
n¼N 2

But the index change n/1  n reveals that

X
N
2
X
N
2
ð1Þn qn n
¼ ð1Þn qn n
n¼N n¼N

and
X
N  XN 
n n2 n n n2 n
ð1Þn q ¼ ð1Þn q
n¼N 2 n¼N 2

and so each series is identically zero. Therefore

X
N
2
ðq2 ; q2 ÞN ðaq; q2 ÞN ða1 q; q2 ÞN ¼ an qn
n¼N
X
N
2
¼ w ð1Þn1 nqn n
þ Oðw3 Þ
n¼N
XN
2
¼ w ð1Þn ð2n þ 1Þqn þn þ Oðw3 Þ: &
n¼0

For completeness, we conclude this section with a standard result which (as Bruce
Berndt has pointed out to me) was explicitly known to Ramanujan.
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
418 G.E. Andrews / Advances in Mathematics 191 (2005) 408–422

Theorem 10. If

F ðaÞ ¼ ðq2 ; q2 ÞN ðaq; q2 ÞN ða1 q; q2 ÞN ;

then for any integer N;

2
F ðaÞ ¼ aN qN F ðaq2N Þ: ð4:2Þ

Proof. First we note that by (4.1),

X
N
2
F ðaÞ ¼ qn an
n¼N
XN
2
¼ qðnþ1Þ anþ1
n¼N

¼ aqF ðaq2 Þ: ð4:3Þ

Identity (4.2) for N40 follows from (4.3) by iteration of (4.3). To obtain (4.2) for
negative N replace a by aq2N in (4.2). &

5. Ramanujan’s product for pN ðaÞ

Theorem 11. Expansion (1.5) holds for 0oqo14:

Proof. We define
X
N
2
F ðaÞ :¼ pN ðaÞ ¼ qn an ð5:1Þ
n¼0

and
X
N
2
GðaÞ :¼ F ða1 Þ  1 ¼ qn an : ð5:2Þ
n¼1

Hence
X
N
2
ðq2 ; q2 ÞN ðaq; q2 ÞN ða1 q; q2 ÞN ¼ an qn
n¼N
X
N
2
¼ qn an
n¼N

¼ F ðaÞ ¼ F ðaÞ þ GðaÞ: ð5:3Þ

 ARTICLE IN PRESS
G.E. Andrews / Advances in Mathematics 191 (2005) 408–422 419

By Theorem 8, we see that the zeros, xi ; of F ðaÞ satisfy

XN
1
oN:
i¼1
jx ij

Consequently by the product theorem for entire functions [5, p. 174],

X N YN 
2 a
qn an ¼ F ðaÞ ¼ 1 : ð5:4Þ
n¼0 i¼1
xi

Furthermore by Theorem 8, we know that

q12N
xN ¼ ; ð5:5Þ
1 þ Y1 ðNÞ

where

Y1 ðNÞ ¼ OðqÞ; ð5:6Þ

and Y1 ðNÞ is analytic in q by the Implicit Function Theorem [8].

Therefore

GðxN Þ ¼ F ðxN Þ  F ðxN Þ ðby ð5:3ÞÞ

¼ F ðxN Þ
2
¼ xN N 2N
N q F ðxN q Þ

ð1ÞN qNN
2
q
¼ N
F : ð5:7Þ
ð1 þ Y1 ðNÞÞ 1 þ Y1 ðNÞ

Consequently, rewriting (5.7), we find

XN 
nN n2 þ2NnnþN 2 N nþN q
ð1Þ q ð1 þ Y1 ðNÞÞ ¼F
n¼1
1 þ Y1 ðNÞ
X
N
2
¼  Y1 ðNÞ ð1Þn ð2n þ 1Þqn þn
þ OðY1 ðNÞ3 Þ ðby Theorem 9Þ;
n¼0

so
X
N
2
ð1Þn qn þn
ð1 þ Y1 ðNÞÞnþ1
n¼N
X
N
2
¼ Y1 ðNÞ ð1Þn ð2n þ 1Þqn þn
þ OðY1 ðNÞ3 Þ: ð5:8Þ
n¼0
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
420 G.E. Andrews / Advances in Mathematics 191 (2005) 408–422

But by (5.8) and the analyticity of Y1 ðNÞ we see that the lowest power of q
2
appearing in Y1 ðNÞ must be qN þN : Hence by (5.8)
PN n n2 þn
n¼N ð1Þ q
P
Y1 ðNÞ  N n n2 þn
n¼0 ð1Þ ð2n þ 1Þq
2
þ2N
 y1 ðNÞ ðmod q2N Þ ðby the definition ð1:6ÞÞ: ð5:9Þ

Now let

Y2 ðNÞ ¼ Y1 ðNÞ  y1 ðNÞ; ð5:10Þ

and substitute for Y1 ðNÞ in (5.8). Hence

X
N
2
ð1Þn qn þn ð1 þ y1 ðNÞ þ Y2 ðNÞÞnþ1
n¼N
X
N
2 2
¼ ðy1 ðNÞ þ Y2 ðNÞÞ ð1Þn ð2n þ 1Þqn þn
ðmod q3N þ3N
Þ;
n¼0

2 2
þ2N þ3N
so because we know Y2 ðNÞ ¼ Oðq2N Þ; therefore modulo q3N ;

X
N
2
ðy1 ðNÞ þ Y2 ðNÞÞ ð1Þn ð2n þ 1Þqn þn
n¼0
X
N
2
 ð1Þn qn þn ð1 þ y1 ðNÞÞnþ1
n¼N
XN
2
 ð1Þn qn þn ð1 þ ðn þ 1Þy1 ðNÞÞ:
n¼N

Hence recalling from (1.6) that

X
N
2
X
N
2
ð1Þn qn þn ¼ y1 ðNÞ ð1Þn ð2n þ 1Þqn þn
;
n¼N n¼0

we see that

X
N
2
X
N
2
y1 ðNÞ ð1Þn ð2n þ 1Þqn þn þ Y2 ðNÞ ð1Þn ð2n þ 1Þqn þn
n¼0 n¼0
X
N
2
X
N
2
 y1 ðNÞ ð1Þn ð2n þ 1Þqn þn þ y1 ðNÞ ð1Þn ðn þ 1Þqn þn

n¼0 n¼N
3N 2 þ3N
ðmod q Þ:
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
G.E. Andrews / Advances in Mathematics 191 (2005) 408–422 421

Therefore
P
ð1Þn ðn þ 1Þqn þn
2
y1 ðNÞ N
Y2 ðNÞ  PN n¼N n n2 þn
n¼0 ð1Þ ð2n þ 1Þq
2
þ3N
 y2 ðNÞ ðmod q3N Þ:

Summing up, we see that

q12N
xN ¼ ;
1 þ y1 ðNÞ þ y2 ðNÞ þ ?
2
þ3N
and the denominator of xN is valid modulo q3N which is quantitatively stronger
than Ramanujan’s ‘‘y’’. &

6. Conclusion

This long journey to prove (1.5) leaves many unanswered questions. The most
obvious is: Whatever made Ramanujan believe that expansions like (1.5) and the one
in [3] might actually exist with such nice expansions for the zeros?
One also wonders what other two variable (i.e. a and q) q-series have nice
expansions like this? For example, the series from the Göllnitz-Gordon identities is
the entire function (cf. [1])

XN 2
an qn ðq; q2 Þn
: ð6:1Þ
n¼0
ðq2 ; q2 Þn

What is happening for this function?

After completing [3] I thought that theorems of this nature would always rely on
limits of sequences of orthogonal polynomials. Now we see that this was too limited
a view. What further can we say about the sequence pn ðaÞ? It clearly has unusually
nice properties.

References

[1] G.E. Andrews, A generalization of the Göllnitz–Gordon partition theorems, Proc. Amer. Math. Soc.
18 (1967) 945–952.
[2] G.E. Andrews, The theory of partitions, in: G.-C. Rota (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Mathematics and Its
Applications, Vol. 2, Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA, 1976 (reissued: Cambridge University Press,
Cambridge, 1998).
[3] G.E. Andrews, Ramanujan’s ‘‘Lost’’ Notebook, VIII The entire Rogers–Ramanujan function, Adv.
Math. 191 (2005) 408–422.
[4] T.S. Chihara, An Introduction to Orthogonal Polynomials, Gordon and Breach, New York,
1974.
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
422 G.E. Andrews / Advances in Mathematics 191 (2005) 408–422

[5] E.T. Copson, An Introduction to the Theory of Functions of a Complex Variable, Oxford University
Press, Oxford, 1935.
[6] S. Ramanujan, The Lost Notebook and Other Unpublished Papers, Narosa, New Delhi, 1988.
[7] G. Szegö, Ein Beitrag zur Theorie der Thetafunktionen, Sitzungsberichte der Preussischen Akad. der
Wissenschaften, Phys.-Math. (1926) 242–252 (Coll. Papers, Vol. 2, pp. 795–805).
[8] W. Walter, A useful Banach algebra, El. Math. 47 (1992) 27–32.