MathGroup Archive 2006

[Date Index] [Thread Index] [Author Index]

Search the Archive

What's wrong with Integrate [ 1/x, {x,1,Infinity}]?

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg66546] What's wrong with Integrate [ 1/x, {x,1,Infinity}]?
  • From: Pavel Pokorny <Pavel.Pokorny at vscht.RemoveMe.MeToo.cz>
  • Date: Fri, 19 May 2006 03:40:32 -0400 (EDT)
  • Organization: Czech Technical University
  • Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

  Dear Mathematica friends

what is the reason Mathematica 5.2 does not compute 

In[1]:= Integrate [ 1/x, {x,1,Infinity}]

                             1
Integrate::idiv: Integral of - does not converge on {1, Infinity}.
                             x

                  1
Out[1]= Integrate[-, {x, 1, Infinity}]
                  x

while this works:

In[2]:= Limit [ Integrate [ 1/x, {x,1,b}], b->Infinity]

Out[2]= Infinity

I always thought the first formulation 
is just a shorthand of the second one,
being equivalent in its meaning.

-- 
Pavel Pokorny
Math Dept, Prague Institute of Chemical Technology
http://www.vscht.cz/mat/Pavel.Pokorny


  • Prev by Date: Strange behavior of MatrixConditionNumber
  • Next by Date: find smallest integer such that...
  • Previous by thread: Re: Strange behavior of MatrixConditionNumber
  • Next by thread: Re: What's wrong with Integrate [ 1/x, {x,1,Infinity}]?