Definite Integral of Exponential Function

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[SOLVED] Definite Integral of Exponential Function

Homework Statement


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?
 
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Split it into two intervals, i.e. (-\infty,0),\,(0,\infty) and make a change or variables in the first one x\to-x
 
Rainbow Child said:
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?
 
Since x\in(0,\infty)\Rightarrow |x|=x. Now combine the two integrals.
 
Rainbow Child said:
Since x\in(0,\infty)\Rightarrow |x|=x. Now combine the two integrals.

Oh...duh...thank you
 
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