View Full Version : Gauss and the log-integral of x


Arcane
03-04-07, 12:28 PM
How in the world did Carl Gauss conjure this mystical formula?!?!?!?

Log-integral of x:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/math/d/6/0/d60fec43c875f03226bad8addcee2849.png

This formula is golden in prime number theory, it's the closest approximation of the prime counting function(also discovered by Gauss..) known, but did he just get lucky and pull it out of midair? Or did he arrive at it through some method or whatever? Thats my question.

CAMILUS