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TL;DR

The Basel Problem: A canonical quantitative trading interview question at olympiad difficulty. Commonly asked at Jane Street, DE Shaw, HRT.

By Valenke Exam Prep Team·Last updated 2026-06-01
olympiadSequences, Series & Limits

The Basel Problem

Asked at: Jane Street, DE Shaw, HRT

Problem
Evaluate the infinite series: ∑n=1∞1n2=1+14+19+116+⋯\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n^2} = 1 + \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{9} + \frac{1}{16} + \cdots Find the exact value and explain why π\pi appears in the answer.
Related concepts
Taylor Series

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