Simple problems that Wolfram can't do

[Steve Zissou]

Hi everyone, I thought I would share a thought - apparently simple problems that Wolfram can't seem to handle. I'll go first:
$$ \int_{0}^{\infty}e^{-x^p}dx=\frac{1}{p}\Gamma\left( \frac{1}{p} \right) $$
Entering this into Wolfram alpha:
Integrate[Exp[-x^p],{x,0,\infty}]
Gets you nowhere. Ha!
Please share your own frustrations also. Thanks!

 

[renormalize]

But Wolfram Mathematica has no problem:

I guess Alpha is a stripped-down Mathematica Lite!

 

[Steve Zissou]

But Wolfram Mathematica has no problem:
View attachment 360674
I guess Alpha is a stripped-down Mathematica Lite!

Well that's weird.

 

[fresh_42]

https://www.integral-calculator.com/ works.

Happily brought to you by our useful list of calculators:

F

High School Thread 'List of Online Calculators for Math, Physics, Earth and Other Curiosities'

Apr 15, 2019

I've reviewed my bookmarks and found some helpful online tools. Please report broken links to a moderator. Additional - serious and not-so-serious ones - should be added here, so please get in touch with a moderator.

Links checked: 08/11/25
Latest Update: 08/11/25 (Meme Maker, Universal Calculator Collection)

Time
https://greenwichmeantime.com/

Calendar
https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/?year=2022&country=1

Duration
https://www.timeanddate.com/date/duration.html

Location And Distance of Orbits
https://www.n2yo.com/ (ISS)...

• fresh_42
• Calculators Earth List Physics
• Replies: 0
• Forum: General Math

• 
• 

 

[Steve Zissou]

Cool!

 

[vela]

Hi everyone, I thought I would share a thought - apparently simple problems that Wolfram can't seem to handle. I'll go first:
$$ \int_{0}^{\infty}e^{-x^p}dx=\frac{1}{p}\Gamma\left( \frac{1}{p} \right) $$
Entering this into Wolfram alpha:
Integrate[Exp[-x^p],{x,0,\infty}]
Gets you nowhere. Ha!
Please share your own frustrations also. Thanks!

I got Wolfram Alpha to give me the correct answer by submitting the problem again right after it failed the first time. I think you're just running into resource limits of the free version.

 

[BWV]

FWIW ChatGPT got it

 

[Steve Zissou]

I got Wolfram Alpha to give me the correct answer by submitting the problem again right after it failed the first time. I think you're just running into resource limits of the free version.

@vela Whoa that's unexpected. So it will do it, but there is some resource limits that I was unaware of?

 

[Steve Zissou]

FWIW ChatGPT got it

View attachment 360706

@BWV Ok that's unexpected. I've had AI give some wacky math answers so I haven't tried using that tech for a while for math.

 

[pines-demon]

WolframAlpha cannot do simple contour integration. Can it?

 

[Steve Zissou]

WolframAlpha cannot do simple contour integration. Can it?

I'm not sure how to tell WolframAlpha if certain variables are complex, real, or any sort of bounds on parameters.

 

[pasmith]

WolframAlpha cannot do simple contour integration. Can it?

You would have to tell it what the contour is; I'm not sure the UI is up to that.

 

[Steve Zissou]

Ok I kid you not on this one:
Integrate[t^(z-1)*Exp[-t],{t,0,\infty}]
Yields the answer:

Try the following:​

• Use different phrasing or notations
• Enter whole words instead of abbreviations
• Avoid mixing mathematical and other notations
• Check your spelling
• Give your input in English

 

[dextercioby]

I remember wolframalpha as more capable in the past (at least for the no-account, no pay version which I used). Sadly, it appears not to be the case anymore. So we switch to https://www.integral-calculator.com/. For good.

 

[Steve Zissou]

Thanks @dextercioby !