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Re: Re: Solving difficult integral a follow up

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg18749] Re: [mg18665] Re: [mg18620] Solving difficult integral a follow up
• From: me <me at talmanl1.mscd.edu>
• Date: Sat, 17 Jul 1999 02:36:59 -0400
• Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

Richard Gass wrote:

> I get the same result that you do when I try this. If I look at the
> expression I find that it is full of terms like (-1)^(1/5), (-1)^(2/5) and
> so on. I think that they arise because  the "Wrong" root has been picked by
> the integration routines . If for example we try Solve[x^5==1] we get five
> solutions only one of which is real. I think the integration routines have
> picked up one of the complex roots instead of the real root.

I think you've hit the nail squarely on the head.

--Lou Talman
  Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences
  Campus Box 38
  Metropolitan State College of Denver
  PO Box 173362
  Denver CO 80217-3362

  http://clem.mscd.edu/~talmanl