MathGroup Archive 2009

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

Search the Archive

Re: Incorrect symbolic improper integral

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg103617] Re: Incorrect symbolic improper integral
  • From: Erik Max Francis <max at alcyone.com>
  • Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 05:01:28 -0400 (EDT)
  • References: <h9srop$p7s$1@smc.vnet.net>

jwmerrill at gmail.com wrote:
> Below is a definite integral that Mathematica does incorrectly.
> Thought someone might like to know:
> 
> In[62]:= Integrate[Cos[x]/(1 + x^2), {x, -\[Infinity], \[Infinity]}]
> 
> Out[62]= \[Pi]/E
> 
> What a pretty result--if it were true. The correct answer is \[Pi]*Cosh
> [1], which can be checked by adding a new parameter inside the
> argument of Cos and setting it to 1 at the end:
> 
> In[61]:= Integrate[Cos[a x]/(1 + x^2), {x, -\[Infinity], \[Infinity]},
>   Assumptions -> a \[Element] Reals]
> 
> Out[61]= \[Pi] Cosh[a]

I get different answer with Mathematica 7 on Linux:

In[1]:= Integrate[Cos[x]/(1 + x^2), {x, -\[Infinity], \[Infinity]}]

Out[1]= \[Pi]/E

In[2]:= Integrate[Cos[a x]/(1 + x^2), {x, -\[Infinity], \[Infinity]},
  Assumptions -> a \[Element] Reals]

Out[2]= E^-Abs[a] \[Pi]

-- 
Erik Max Francis && max at alcyone.com && http://www.alcyone.com/max/
  San Jose, CA, USA && 37 18 N 121 57 W && AIM/Y!M/Skype erikmaxfrancis
   Maybe I could see you / When this is over
    -- Scritti Politti


  • Prev by Date: Re: Re: White Noise in Simulation
  • Next by Date: Re: Histogram
  • Previous by thread: Re: Incorrect symbolic improper integral
  • Next by thread: Re: Incorrect symbolic improper integral