OFFSET
1,1
COMMENTS
a(n) approximates the {kn}-th prime number, which in turn approximates the n-th Ramanujan prime, and k = 2.216 is nearly optimal for n in [1..1000] since a(n) - 2*sqrt(a(n)) < R_n < a(n) + 2*sqrt(a(n)) in that range. Since R_n ~ Prime(2n) ~ 2n * (log(2n)+1) ~ 2n * log(2n), whereas A162996(n) ~ Prime(kn) ~ kn * (log(kn)+1) ~ kn * log(kn), giving A162996(n) / R_n ~ k/2 = 2.216/2 = 1.108 which implies an asymptotic overestimate of about 10% (a better approximation would need k to depend on n and be asymptotic to 2).
R_n is the smallest number such that if x >= R_n, then pi(x) - pi(x/2) >= n, where pi(x) is the number of primes <= x.
LINKS
Daniel Forgues, Table of n, a(n) for n=1..1000
CROSSREFS
KEYWORD
nonn
AUTHOR
Daniel Forgues, Jul 21 2009, Jul 29 2009
STATUS
approved