TITLE: How is $3 + 4\cos \theta + \cos 2\theta \geq 0$ related to $\zeta(s)^3|\zeta(s + it)^4\zeta(s + 2it)| \geq 1$?
QUESTION [8 upvotes]: The inequality
$$\zeta(s)^3 | \zeta(s + it)^4 \zeta(s + 2it)| \ge 1$$
follows from
$$3 + 4 \cos(\theta) + \cos(2 \theta) \ge 0.$$
How is that done? What is the relationship between zeta and the trigonometry?

REPLY [16 votes]: Just in case, everyone recall the notation $s=\sigma+it$ to denote complex numbers.
The inequality you are looking for is 
$$|\zeta(\sigma)^3 \zeta(\sigma + it)^4 \zeta(\sigma + 2it)| \geq 1.$$
for $\sigma>1$.  From this we can prove the Prime Number Theorem (by using a contour integral and some limits switching) because it shows that the zeta function has no zeros on the line $\sigma=1$.  To see why, count the zeros of the numerator and the zeros of the denominator when $\sigma\rightarrow 1$.  We see that a zero at $1+it$ would force a pole to exist at $1+2it$, but that is impossible since the only pole of $\zeta(s)$ is at $s=1$. 
So why does it follow from the trigonometric identity
$$3 + 4 \cos(\theta) + \cos(2 \theta) \ge 0?$$
First take logarithms.  Then the above is equivalent to showing that $$3\log|\zeta(\sigma)|+4\log|\zeta(\sigma+it)|+\log|\zeta(\sigma+2it)|\geq 0.$$
Recall that $\log|z|=\Re(\log z)$ and $\Re(z)+\Re(w)=\Re(w+z)$ where $\Re(z)$ denotes the real part of $z$. Hence we need to show that
$$\Re \left(3\log\zeta(\sigma)+4\log\zeta(\sigma+it)+\log\zeta(\sigma+2it)\right) \geq 0.$$
Now since 
$$\log(\zeta(s))=\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{\Lambda(n)}{\log n}n^{-s}$$ 
when $\sigma>1$, where $\Lambda(n)$ is the Von Mangoldt Lambda Function, grouping the sums changes the left hand side into
$$\Re \left(\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{\Lambda(n)}{\log n}\left( 3n^\sigma+4n^{\sigma+it}+n^{\sigma+2it} \right) \right).$$
Since everything is sufficiently convergent, we can bring $\Re$ inside the summation to get 
$$\left(\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{\Lambda(n)}{\log n}\Re\left( 3n^\sigma+4n^{\sigma+it}+n^{\sigma+2it} \right) \right)$$
Now, notice $\Re(n^{x+iy})= n^{x}\cos(y\log n)$, so that the above becomes
$$\left(\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{\Lambda(n)}{\log n} n^{-\sigma}\left(3+4\cos(t\log n)+\cos(2t\log n) \right) \right)$$
Lastly, the term above must be greater than or equal to zero since every term in the summation is non-negative.  Thus we conclude 
$$\Re \left(3\log\zeta(\sigma)+4\log\zeta(\sigma+it)+\log\zeta(\sigma+2it)\right) \geq 0$$
and hence
$$|\zeta(\sigma)^3 \zeta(\sigma + it)^4 \zeta(\sigma + 2it)| \geq 1$$
as desired.
Hope that helps,