Guassian Intergral doesn't seem to sum to sqrt(pi)

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The discussion centers on the evaluation of the Gaussian integral, specifically how the integral of e^{-(t + jw/2)^2}dt results in sqrt(pi). The initial confusion arises from a misinterpretation of the integral setup. A user clarifies that by substituting u = t + jw/2, the integral simplifies to the well-known form, leading to the conclusion that I = sqrt(pi). The conversation concludes with a detailed explanation of the integral's evaluation using polar coordinates, confirming that the integral indeed sums to sqrt(pi).
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thomas49th said:

Homework Statement


http://gyazo.com/93ec8b11261e3a00da976a0e28855960


Homework Equations


According to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaussian_function

The Attempt at a Solution


I have got as far as the integral at:

e^{-\frac{w^{2}}{4}\int e^{-(t^{2}+j\frac{w}{2})^{2}}

Apparently this makes the correct answer but I don't see how the integral evaluates to sqrt(pi)

Can somebody please explain


Thanks
Thomas

Your integral is wrong; you have written
e^{-\frac{w^{2}}{4}\int e^{-(t^{2}+j\frac{w}{2})^{2}}},
whiich is not what the cited article wrote.

RGV
 
thanks*
 
Last edited:
Maybe i wasn't very clear. I cannot see how

\int e^{-(t+ \frac{jw}{2})^{2}}dt

Becomes sqrt(pi). I can't be just sqrt(pi), as we don't just have the integral of e^(t^2))
 
\int_{-\infty}^\infty e^{-(t+ j\omega/2)^2}dt

Let u= t+ j\omega^2/2. du= dt. The integral becomes
\int_{-\infty}^\infty e^{-u^2}{du}

That's a well known integral. If you haven't seen it before, let
I= \int_{-\infty}^\infty e^{-u^2}{du}
so that, because of the symmetry,
I/2= \int_0^\infty e^{-u^2}{du}
Then it is also true that
I/2= \int_0^\infty e^{-v^2}dv
and, multiplying them
I^2/4= \left(\int_0^\infty e^{-u^2}du\right)\left(\int_0^\infty e^{-v^2}dv\right)= \int_{-\infty}^\infty\int_{-\infty}^\infty e^{-u^2-v^2}dudv

Now change to polar coordinates, r and \theta, with u= r cos(\theta) and v= r sin(\theta). The uv-integral takes each variable from 0 to \infty, the first quadrant, which, in terms of polar coordinates, has r from 0 to \infty and \theta from 0 to \pi/2. Of course, -(u^2+v^2)=-r^2 and dudv= r drd\theta

The integral becomes
\int_{\theta= 0}^{\pi/2}\int_{r=0}^\infty e^{-r^2}rdrd\theta= \frac{\pi}{2}\int_{r=0}^\infty e^{-r^2}rdr

To do that last integral, let x= r^2 so that dx= 2rdr and rdr= (1/2)dx.
Now we have
I^2/4= \frac{\pi}{4}\int_0^\infty e^{-x}dx

That last integral is, of course, 1 so we have I^2/4= \pi/4 and I= \sqrt{\pi}.
 
nice going HallOfIvy, very good :)
 

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