Approximating an E&M Integral with Calculus

Matterwave
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Homework Statement


This is technically an E&M question, but I've reduced it to a calculus problem. Basically I have to evaluate:

B_0(\int_{-H_{max}}^{H_{max}}{tanh(\frac{H+H_c}{H_0})dH - \int_{-H_{max}}^{H_{max}}{tanh(\frac{H-H_c}{H_0})dH)

Where H_{max}>>H_C, H_0.

Homework Equations


The Attempt at a Solution



I'm looking at this and I have no idea how to go about approximating this integral...I suppose I could just brute force the integrals and keep all the H_max and stuff, and then later see if i can approximate something...but the expressions are really quite long and I'd like to avoid that if I can. Is there a way?
 
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Hi Matterwave! :smile:

Are Hc and H0 constants?

If so, that's just ∫tanh(Ax + b) dx …

and ∫tanh is ln(cosh) :wink:
 
You can eliminate the second integral (it's just the additive inverse of the first; prove it). Per tiny-tim's hint, you can compute the integral. Simplify and finally use the fact that Hmax>>Hc , H0 to arrive at an approximate value.
 
There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...
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