Nth order order integration help

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of nth order integration, questioning why such integrals are not commonly defined or utilized in the same way as nth order differentiation. Participants explore the notation, potential applications, and implications of defining integrals with respect to higher orders.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the existence of nth order integrals, noting that they have not encountered quadruple or quintuple integrals and suggesting a definition like \(\int\int\int f(x)dx^3\).
  • Another participant acknowledges the possibility of nth order integration but admits a lack of knowledge regarding its applications.
  • A different viewpoint expresses skepticism about the utility of higher-order integrals, arguing that even first integrals are non-unique and questioning the value of obtaining a long polynomial tail from subsequent antidifferentiations.
  • One participant cites a specific application related to jerk in physics as a reason for exploring nth order integrals.
  • Another participant clarifies that while repeated integrals can be defined, the notation typically used is \(dx...dx\) rather than \(dx^n\), and mentions a formula for general repeated integrals that can be derived and has applications in fractional integration.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the existence and utility of nth order integrals, with no consensus reached regarding their definition or applications.

Contextual Notes

Some limitations include the ambiguity in the notation for higher-order integrals and the dependence on the interpretation of constants of integration in repeated integrals.

Jhenrique
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If exist differentiation until the nth order, so, why "no exist" integration until the nth order too? I never saw a quadruple or quintuple integral, and if exist, it's always with respect to different variables. Why not difine an integral so?

[tex]\int\int\int f(x)dx^3[/tex]
 
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It is possible, I just don't know of any applications.
 
Why bother?
Even the first integral is non-unique, what point would it be to gain a long, polynomial tail from your subsequent antidifferentiations??
 
Jhenrique said:
If exist differentiation until the nth order, so, why "no exist" integration until the nth order too? I never saw a quadruple or quintuple integral, and if exist, it's always with respect to different variables. Why not difine an integral so?

[tex]\int\int\int f(x)dx^3[/tex]
I've never seen one written this way; i.e., with dx3. The usual way things are done is to have different variables of integration, something like this:
$$\int_a^b \int_c^d \int_e^f f(x, y, z) dz dy dx$$

or even like this:
$$\int_a^b \int_c^d ~...~\int_e^f f(x_1, x_2, ..., x_n) dx_1~ dx_2~...~ dx_n$$
Here we're integrating over a subset of Rn.
 
It is possible to define a repeated integral, although the notation used is usually ##dx...dx## (n times) rather than ##dx^n##. The nth such repeated integral can be denoted ##f^{-n}(0)##.

And as long as the constants of integration at every step can be justifiably "ignored", e.g. ##f^{-1}(0) = ... = f^{-n}(0) = 0##, then it's easy to derive and prove a simple formula for the general repeated integral. See: http://mathworld.wolfram.com/RepeatedIntegral.html

You can derive it with integration by parts and prove the form by induction. Wiki also has something on this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cauchy_formula_for_repeated_integration

The general formula has an application in defining fractional integration.
 

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