# Integrate exp(-x^2), dx

1. Jun 14, 2004

### Nimrod

hi all,

i've tried to solve this thing with Derive, but it gave me some vague erf(x) function (error function??). Is there some gosu-mathematician who can help me solve the integral?

$$\int exp(-x^2) dx$$

tnx

Last edited: Jun 14, 2004
2. Jun 14, 2004

### Gokul43201

Staff Emeritus
There is no analytic form to the gaussian integral. You need to look up values in the erf table for definite integrals.

3. Jun 14, 2004

### Nimrod

ah, that clarifies a lot, thank you.

4. Jun 14, 2004

### NSX

Tom did this using double integration here: https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=25798&page=2

Have fun!

5. Jun 14, 2004

### master_coda

6. Jun 16, 2004

### NSX

Why's that?

7. Jun 16, 2004

### Nexus[Free-DC]

It's the limits of integration that count here. Say you're trying to integrate a hard function, but there's a neat little trick for working out the integral from zero to infinity. That trick probably won't help you if you're integrating from, say, 1 to 5.729.

8. Jun 17, 2004

### theFuture

When I first did that integral (the trick way with the nice limits) I thought it was the neatest thing.

9. Jul 9, 2004

### Perinhas

integrate exp(-(x/C)^k), dx with k>0 and C>0

Hello to you all,

i've tried hard to solve this problem related with the wind resources, but so far like Tom Mattson said in is post, i solved the problem to k=2, but i can't solve it to any k>0!!!

integrate exp(-(x/C)^k), dx with k>0 and C>0

Is there anyone willing to help me ????

Perinhas.