One dimensional integration that Mathematica cannot do

In summary, the conversation discusses the evaluation of a complex integral in Mathematica and the difficulties encountered due to the presence of a denominator term. Different approaches were suggested, including using partial fractions and Taylor expansion, but the issue remains unsolved. The conversation also mentions the use of assumptions and improper boundaries to try and simplify the computation.
  • #1
CAF123
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I want to evaluate $$\int_{a+b-c}^s\,\text{d}x\, \frac{(-x+ab/c)^{\epsilon}}{(x+c-a-b)^{\epsilon+1} (a-x)},$$ where ##a,b,c,\epsilon## are numbers, and to be treated as constants in the integration. I put this into mathematica and an hour later it is still attempting to evaluate it so I aborted the calculation. I was just wondering if someone could put the following code into Mathematica and see if it is also takes a long time on their machine?

Integrate[(-x + a*b/c)^e/(x + c - a - b)^(e + 1)/(a - x), {x,
a + b - c, s}, Assumptions -> e < 0 && b < 0 && a > 0]

I tried to progress with the intergral analytically:
Partial fractions gave a rewriting of the form $$\frac{1}{c-b}\int_{a+b-c}^{s} \text{d}x\, \frac{(-x+ab/c)^{\epsilon}}{(x+c-a-b)^{\epsilon}} \left(\frac{1}{x+c-a-b} + \frac{1}{a-x}\right)$$ $$ = \frac{1}{c-b}\left(\int_{a+b-c}^{s} \text{d}x\, \frac{(-x+ab/c)^{\epsilon}}{(x+c-a-b)^{\epsilon+1}} + \int_{a+b-c}^{s} \text{d}x\, \frac{(-x+ab/c)^{\epsilon}}{(x+c-a-b)^{\epsilon}} \frac{1}{a-x}\right)$$ but this probably did not help.

Thanks!
 
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  • #2
It is improper in ##x=a+b-c## ...
 
  • #3
I evaluated it initially without the factor of (a-x) in the denominator and an answer came out fine. But then I realized I had missed this piece upon typing it into Mathematica and now it takes a long time to give me an answer. ##\epsilon < 0## solves the fact it is improper at the boundary I think. Can you try putting it into your machine and seeing if is also takes a long time?
 
  • #4
yes ##\epsilon <0## solve this, I think the problem is that when you divide by ##\frac{1}{a-x}## the computation become more complex..., I tried with Mathematica but Wolfram told me false Assumptions ...
 
  • #5
You can try Taylor expanding the term ##\frac{1}{a-x}## but obviously is not an exact solution ...
 

1. Can Mathematica perform one dimensional integration with symbolic limits?

No, Mathematica cannot perform one dimensional integration with symbolic limits. It can only perform integration with numerical limits.

2. Does Mathematica have any limitations when it comes to the complexity of the integrand?

Yes, Mathematica may struggle with integration of highly complex integrands, especially those involving special functions or multiple variables.

3. Can Mathematica handle improper integrals?

Yes, Mathematica can handle improper integrals as long as they converge. However, it may not always provide closed-form solutions for these integrals.

4. Are there any workarounds for one dimensional integration that Mathematica cannot do?

Yes, there are a few options for workarounds. One is to use the integration capabilities of other software, such as Wolfram Alpha, and then import the result into Mathematica. Another option is to break the integral into multiple parts and use numerical integration methods.

5. Can Mathematica perform one dimensional integration over a region in two or more dimensions?

No, Mathematica can only perform one dimensional integration over a single variable. For integration over a region in multiple dimensions, the appropriate functions and methods from the Wolfram Language may be used.

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