Ramanujan's approximation to the exponential function and generalizations

Abstract

Ramanujan's approximation to the exponential function is reexamined with the help of Perron's saddle-point method. This allows for a wide generalization that includes the results of Buckholtz, and where all the asymptotic expansion coefficients may be given in closed form. Ramanujan's approximation to the exponential integral is treated similarly.

18 pages, 1 figure