What is Wolfram alpha: Definition and 25 Discussions

WolframAlpha ( WUUL-frəm-) is a computational knowledge engine or answer engine developed by WolframAlpha LLC, a subsidiary of Wolfram Research. It is an online service that answers factual queries directly by computing the answer from externally sourced "curated data", rather than providing a list of documents or web pages that might contain the answer, as a search engine might.WolframAlpha, which was released on May 18, 2009, is based on Wolfram's earlier flagship product Wolfram Mathematica, a computational platform or toolkit that encompasses computer algebra, symbolic and numerical computation, visualization, and statistics capabilities. Additional data is gathered from both academic and commercial websites such as the CIA's The World Factbook, the United States Geological Survey, a Cornell University Library publication called All About Birds, Chambers Biographical Dictionary, Dow Jones, the Catalogue of Life, CrunchBase, Best Buy, and the FAA.

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  1. Saracen Rue

    I Why is the integral of ##\arcsin(\sin(x))## so divisive?

    Initially, I was attempting to find the function which expresses the area under enclosed between the function ##\arcsin(\sin(x))## and the ##x##-axis (so technically I am looking for ##\int_{0}^{x} \arcsin(\sin(t)) dt## specifically, but got caught up on finding the general antiderivative)...
  2. PeroK

    Wolfram Alpha (free) Limitations

    When I put the following integral into the free version of Wolfram I get a sensible answer: $$\int \frac{1}{(1 - \frac 1 u)\sqrt{\frac 1 u - a}}du$$The function includes an inverse ##\tanh## function that (as expected) diverges as ##u \to 1##. But, if I try: $$\int \frac{1}{(1 - \frac 1...
  3. DaveC426913

    MATLAB Learning Curve of Wolfram Alpha or Matlab

    I should probably get one or two of these under my belt. My current need is to plot a ... I guess it's a heat map. I've got a map of my local area and I want to determine the geographical centre of a number of points (say, seven). So, for every xy "cell" on the map, I'll use pythagoras to...
  4. K

    I Solving this Equation that Wolfram Alpha doesn't compute....

    Hi I need to solve this equation: $$ a = x \cdot \left( c \cdot e^{ \frac {1} {d+x \cdot e }} - b \right) $$ for x. Unfortunately Wolfram Alpha refused to compute it. Maybe I need a Pro version. Can anyone help me? Thanks!
  5. epenguin

    WolframAlpha: How to plot a family of curves?

    just something I need quickly to illustrate a homework help, don't want to spend much time on. What is the code in WolframAlpha just to plot an ornery family of curves? Searched WA and find all sorts of fancy things, not this ornery one. Should. be something like e,g. For n= 1 to 20 c= n*0.05...
  6. K

    MHB Confusing answer from Wolfram Alpha

    \sqrt{\sqrt{}}Firstly, I have tried to work out the square root sign, I would have thought this common sign to be listed on the right. While checking my answer to the square root of 171 I noticed wolfram displayed also another function under the listing of "exact answer". It gave 3 with a...
  7. Nick Amos

    Mechanical Physics for the sake of Horology

    My Introduction -Berklee Grad -Machinist -Father of two -HUGE horology nerd In joining this website I hope to gain some deeper understanding of the mathematics and predicted behaviors of a Spherical Pendulum. I stumbled across a physics paper, several actually on the subject that peaked...
  8. R

    B Wolfram Alpha graph of ln(x) shows as ln(abs(x))

    Hello- I was checking an answer to an integral on Wolfram Alpha and noticed I don't know how they distinguish between ln(x) and ln("absolute value of"(x)). It appears all of their inputs and outputs imply absolute value (taking positive and negative x-values) Is anyone here familiar with their...
  9. doktorwho

    Wolfram Alpha or Wolfram Course Assistant

    Hi, i would like to get someone's opinion on an iOS app I've been looking into. I already own Wolfram Alpha and am curious as I'm taking Calculus II should i get the Calculus Course assistant from Wolfram and what is the difference between it and the regular Alpha?
  10. MAGNIBORO

    I Is Wolfram Alpha Wrong About This Infinite Sum?

    Hi, I'm reading a book of math and in one page says: $$\sum_{n=2}^{\infty }\frac{3^n-1}{4^n}\zeta (n+1)=\pi$$ I tried to solve this,as I could not solved I requested to wolfram alpha and told me that this sum is approximately equal to 2.319125...
  11. Stephanus

    What Can You Do with Wolfram Alpha in Chemistry?

    Dear PF Forum, Do anybody know the 'Wolfram Alpha' for chemistry? For example. If I enter: HCl + NaOH The website will produce something like HCl + NaOH -> NaCl + H2O (+ or - energy would be preferable) or if I enter: C6H12O6 + O2 The website will produce something like: Do you mean: C6H12O6 +...
  12. julianwitkowski

    Wolfram alpha -- worth it for a beginner to get a wolfram alpha pro acct?

    Is it worth it for a beginner to get a wolfram alpha pro acct? I'm interested in learning math and I find the free tools great. I'm curious as to how people that know how to do math think of wolfram. Do you think having the extended features would be too much for someone at a gr 12 u level...
  13. Saitama

    MHB Plotting complex equations on the Argand plane with Wolfram Alpha

    I am wondering how one would go about drawing graphs in Argand plane using Wolfram Alpha. For instance, I want to plot an ellipse $|z-1|+|z+1|=5$ using W|A, what should be the input? Simply entering $|z-1|+|z+1|=5$ doesn't give what I want. Thanks!
  14. J

    Wolfram alpha giving wrong solutions?(link)

    So yeah, Just using wolfram to help draw a nice function, when this happens: http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=x%5E2%2Fln(x) It shows a real part under zero, when the function given, x^2/ln(x) has no real solution under zero ! It's domain being: Dm(f) = ]0;1[U]1;infinity[ need...
  15. A

    Wolfram Alpha: all 2nd roots of 1

    I think a lot a users have vague concepts about the roots of unity. I try to post a link to WolframAlpha, which calculates all the second roots of unity http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=sqrt%281%29 There you can see the input \sqrt{1} and the plot of all roots in the complex plane...
  16. teroenza

    Schools Using Wolfram Alpha to Evaluate/Compare Graduate Schools

    Hi All, I am looking into engineering and physics grad schools. I have a good deal of information available, and am trying to sort through it. Has anyone used Wolfram Alpha to do anythings like this? From basic comparisons like "Harvard University, Princeton University" it will give you a...
  17. chisigma

    MHB A very strange statement from Wolfram Alpha....

    The so called 'Moebious Function' is a discrete function defined as... $$\mu(n)= \begin{cases} - 1 &\text{if n has an odd number of prime distinct fators} \\ 0 &\text{if n has one or more prime fractors with exponent greater than one}\\ 1 &\text{if n has an even number of prime distinct...
  18. O

    Analytically Solving Complex Expressions with Wolfram Alpha

    I'm noticing wolfram alpha has the amazing ability to analytically solve \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{n^2 + a^2} Anyone know how to do this, and if it's also possible to deal with higher order guys (like it also can do 1/(n4+a2), but it's a way more complicated expression to the point...
  19. C

    Confused about answer wolfram alpha spat out to me.

    Homework Statement Ok well I had a real nasty equation in which i could not solve. I used wolfram alpha to get out this answer "theta ≈ 0.74559 + 6.28319n for integer n". can someone please tell me what this statement means. do i assume theta in degrees equals 0.74559(180/pi)...
  20. jim mcnamara

    Handwritten answers from Wolfram Alpha

    http://blog.wolframalpha.com/2013/04/01/introducing-the-wolframalpha-handwritten-knowledge-engine/ Hmm. Could this be an April Fools Day exercise?
  21. V

    How to use wolfram alpha to plot frequency response

    Can someone please tell me how I can plot the magnitude and phase response of this transfer function on wolfram alpha as I don't have Matlab: H(s) = -(2.1953*10^12)/(66600*((j*ω)^2)+808823539.4*(j*ω)+2.1626*10^12) A link to the output would be very useful also, thanks heaps.
  22. X

    Worth paying the extra money and upgrading to Wolfram Alpha pro?

    Do you guys think it is worth paying the extra money and upgrading to Wolfram Alpha pro?
  23. A

    Partial Fractions problem not matching Wolfram Alpha

    Homework Statement ∫10x-2x2/((x-1)2(x+3)) Solve by partial fractions. The Attempt at a Solution ∫A/(x-1) +B/(x-1)2 + C(x+3) after setting up the partial fractions and multiplying each term by LCD: 10x-2x2= A(x-1)(x+3) + B(x+3) + C(x-1)2 10x-2x2= A(x2+2x-3) +Bx+3B +Cx-C 10x-2x2=...
  24. Orion1

    Wolfram Alpha: Your Ultimate Online Computational Knowledge Engine

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/60P7717-XOQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed...
  25. Monocerotis

    Discover Wolfram Alpha - "Oh My!

    Wolfram Alpha - oh...my... Am I the last person on this planet to find out about this website ? It's freaking amazing ! check it out if you've never heard about it. http://www.wolframalpha.com
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