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Understanding the Output

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg32792] Understanding the Output
  • From: "Steven Spear" <smitsky at mindspring.com>
  • Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2002 06:23:44 -0500 (EST)
  • Organization: MindSpring Enterprises
  • Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

Hi. I'm having trouble understanding some output in Mathematica. If I enter
Int [x-1] dx, the output I receive is ((-2/3) + (2x/3)) Sqrt(-1+x). If I do
the calculation by hand, I get 2/3.(x-1)^3/2. If I perform:
FullSimplify(((-2/3) + (2x/3)) Sqrt(-1+x)), I get the same answer
(2/3.(x-1)^3/2).

With trying to use u-substitution, and figuring more complex Integrals, it
get harder to discern the output. For instance: I tried to evaluate the
Integral Int [x^3 (1-x^4)^5] dx. I may not be correct, but by hand I got
1/24.(1-x^4)^6. Mathematica gave a very different output, and using
FullSimplify didn't seem to help.

Is there any way to get Mathematica to output these values a little
differently? Am I incorrect on the second example? Any ideas will be
appreciated. Thanks, Steve




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