Page "Bernoulli number" Paragraph 24

Unfortunately in the literature the definition is given in two variants: Despite the fact that Bernoulli defined B < sub > 1 </ sub > = 1 / 2 ( now known as " second Bernoulli numbers "), some authors set B < sub > 1 </ sub > = − 1 / 2 (" first Bernoulli numbers ").

In order to prevent potential confusions both variants will be described here, side by side.

Because these two definitions can be transformed simply by into the other, some formulae have this alternatingly (- 1 )< sup > n </ sup >- term and others not depending on the context, but it is not possible to decide in favor of one of these definitions to be the correct or appropriate or natural one ( for the abstract Bernoulli numbers ).