View Full Version : [SOLVED] Definite Integral of Exponential Function
singular
Feb19-08, 09:23 PM
1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data
I have an integral that I need to solve for a quantum physics problem
\int^{\infty}_{-\infty}e^{-a|x| - ikx}dx
How would I go about solving this thing?
Rainbow Child
Feb19-08, 09:28 PM
Split it into two intervals, i.e. (-\infty,0),\,(0,\infty) and make a change or variables in the first one x\to-x
singular
Feb19-08, 09:47 PM
Split it into two intervals, i.e. (-\infty,0),\,(0,\infty) and make a change or variables in the first one x\to-x
\int^{\infty}_{-\infty}e^{-a|x| - ikx}dx
Split into two intervals
\int^{\infty}_{0}e^{-a|x| - ikx}dx + \int^{0}_{-\infty}e^{-a|x| - ikx}dx
Change of variables in the second term x to -x
\int^{\infty}_{0}e^{-a|x| - ikx}dx - \int^{0}_{\infty}e^{-a|x| + ikx}dx
\int^{\infty}_{0}e^{-a|x| - ikx}dx + \int^{\infty}_{0}e^{-a|x| + ikx}dx
Are these steps what you are talking about?
What would I do from here?
Rainbow Child
Feb19-08, 09:49 PM
Since x\in(0,\infty)\Rightarrow |x|=x. Now combine the two integrals.
singular
Feb19-08, 09:54 PM
Since x\in(0,\infty)\Rightarrow |x|=x. Now combine the two integrals.
Oh...duh....thank you
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