Recent content by ibmichuco

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    What is the Algorithm Behind Candy Machines?

    Hi all, You have probably seen these candy machines before. Tubes that contain candies of different colors and drop candies into a receiver once you inserted the coin. I was watching these more than a quarter of an hour at lunch time (waiting for someone to buy candy) and thought that...
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    Webpage title: Proving a Series Equals Zero: Differentiation Method

    This sounds neat! For example, if I expand f(x) as n terms f(x) = a_0x^0+a_1x^1+a_2x^2+\cdots =0 then I can just differentiate n+1 times and that would leave me with a_n=0 and in the same way to show that all other coefficients a_i must also be zero. Is this reasonable? Regards...
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    Webpage title: Proving a Series Equals Zero: Differentiation Method

    Sorry, I posted in the wrong section, this is not homework. It is the standard way that perturbation theory is discussed in most books. Since it has to do with series, these books just state the results. Michuco PS. MOD, could you move this to the non homework section. Thanks
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    Webpage title: Proving a Series Equals Zero: Differentiation Method

    Hi all, In order for the series a_0 x^0 + a_1 x^1 + a_2 x^2 + a_3 x^3+\cdots to be equal zero, where x can take any values,say, from 0 to 1, the coefficients a_i must be all zero. This sounds reasonable, but I am sure that there is some kind of prove for this. Most books that...
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    How Do You Integrate (x^3)(e^2x)?

    My bad. Most of what I have read indicate that you use the boundary in the integration and I thought that also includes the evaluation of v. Thanks for clearing that out. Can you suggest any particular book that helps in evaluating tough(er) integrals. I am trying eventually integrate...
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    How Do You Integrate (x^3)(e^2x)?

    I am thinking of \begin{equation*} v = \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} x e^{-2 x^2} d x = 0 \end{equation*} Don't I need the definite integral in this step also?
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    How Do You Integrate (x^3)(e^2x)?

    I take that by the parenthesis, you define u=x and dv=xe^{-2x^2}? But wouldn't this give v=0 with xe^{-2x^2} being an odd function? Sorry, I am particularly densed today
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    How Do You Integrate (x^3)(e^2x)?

    u = x^2 -> du = 2xdx dv = e^{2x^2} -> v = \sqrt{\pi/2} \int ... = x^2\sqrt{\pi/2}|_{-\infty}^\infty -\int_{-\infty}^\infty \sqrt{\pi/2} 2 x dx The first term looks like zero, and the second doesn't looks like it would converge. I also tried u=e^{-2x^2} and dv = x^2dx...
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    How Do You Integrate (x^3)(e^2x)?

    So I did this three times and I got something like e^2x[x^3/2-3x^2/4+6x/8-16/6] + C which sounds reasonable, but then when I tried \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} x^2 e^{-2 x^2} dx with integration by parts, I ended up with something like infinity ..? Michuco
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    Best Software for Visualizing Data

    This is highly dependent on what you want to do. If you want some simple 2d, contour, density plot straight out of a data file with slight format modifications such as legends, symbols, etc. then I would think that any of the packages you mentioned should do a decent job. On the other...
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    Which Calculus books are recommended for fun and in-depth learning?

    I took calculus many years ago and my work now involves a fair amount of math, like, I got to play around with stuff like gamma function (which I found Nahin's An Imaginary Tale an excellent read), numerical methods, but nothing fancy. I discovered Calculus made easy a while ago, and I...
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    Which Calculus books are recommended for fun and in-depth learning?

    Lugita15 and Frostfire, Thanks for the suggestions. I am finishing Calculus made easy and have downloaded a copy of Keisler Elementary Calculus. Calculus by Larson, Hostetler and Edwards doesn't look bad, but $170.00? I paid $23. for my Thompson/Gardner copy. Cheers, Michuco
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    Which Calculus books are recommended for fun and in-depth learning?

    Hi all, I am looking for calculus books that are fun to read. In particular, I am looking for books that show, say, the proof of \int dx/x = log[x] not just simply state the results. Something similar to Thompson's Calculus made easy. Thanks in advance, Michuco
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    Uncovering the Connection: Feynman's Insight on the Gaussian Integral and Pi

    Thanks codelieb, This is exactly what I was looking for ... Michuco
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    Uncovering the Connection: Feynman's Insight on the Gaussian Integral and Pi

    Thanks for the replies. I know of the polar coord conversion proof which I asume that wiki took from Weinsstein's MathWorld. I was wondering about the Feynman connection, if there was one. Regards, Michuco
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