A Rigorous Proof of a Ramanujan Machine Identity for -π/4 via Exact Recurrence Solving

Abstract

We prove a polynomial continued fraction identity for the constant -π/4, conjectured by the Ramanujan Machine project. The proof proceeds by explicitly solving the underlying second-order linear difference equation. We derive a closed-form expression for the denominator sequence, qn = (-1)n (2n-3)!!\,(n2+n-1), and establish absolute convergence via a Wronskian telescoping argument. The limiting value is reduced by Abel summation to a Beta-function integral, which is evaluated in closed form through an elementary substitution and a single integration by parts, yielding the exact value -π/4.

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