Type of asymptotic behavior useful in number theory
In number theory, a normal order of an arithmetic function is some simpler or better-understood function which "usually" takes the same or closely approximate values.
Let f be a function on the natural numbers. We say that g is a normal order of f if for every ε>0, the inequalities
hold for almost alln: that is, if the proportion of n≤x for which this does not hold tends to 0 as x tends to infinity.
It is conventional to assume that the approximating function g is continuous and monotone.
Sándor, Jozsef; Crstici, Borislav (2004), Handbook of number theory II, Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic, p.332, ISBN1-4020-2546-7, Zbl1079.11001
Tenenbaum, Gérald (1995). Introduction to Analytic and Probabilistic Number Theory. Cambridge studies in advanced mathematics. Vol.46. Translated from the 2nd French edition by C.B.Thomas. Cambridge University Press. pp.299–324. ISBN0-521-41261-7. Zbl0831.11001.