Solving a Sigmoid Function - Wolfram Alpha

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter inc7
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Function
Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
4 replies · 4K views
inc7
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Hi,
I'm working with the sigmoid function which is written

1/(1 + e^-t)

While plugging this into wolfram alpha, I noticed an alternate way to write it is

1 - 1/(1 + e^t)

I can't for the life of me figure out how to go about rewriting it in the alternate form. Would anyone be able to give me a hint on how to go about rewriting it this way? Or even better point me at some material that will help me figure it out? Thanks

Here is the link to wolfram alpha

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=1/(1+++exp(-t))
 
Mathematics news on Phys.org
inc7 said:
Hi,
I'm working with the sigmoid function which is written

1/(1 + e^-t)

While plugging this into wolfram alpha, I noticed an alternate way to write it is

1 - 1/(1 + e^t)

I can't for the life of me figure out how to go about rewriting it in the alternate form. Would anyone be able to give me a hint on how to go about rewriting it this way? Or even better point me at some material that will help me figure it out? Thanks

Here is the link to wolfram alpha

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=1/(1+++exp(-t))

1/(1 + e-t) = 1/(1 + 1/et) = et/(1 + et) = (1 + et -1)/(1 + et) =

you can complete.

Nothing difficult, only thing difficult to understand maybe is why they want it in that form.
 
epenguin said:
1/(1 + e-t) = 1/(1 + 1/et) = et/(1 + et) = (1 + et -1)/(1 + et) =

you can complete.

Nothing difficult, only thing difficult to understand maybe is why they want it in that form.

Thanks guys. That helped. So to complete would you end up with

1/(1 + et) + 1et/(1 + et) - 1/(1 + et) = 1 - 1/(1 + et)
 
Last edited:
epenguin said:
Nothing difficult, only thing difficult to understand maybe is why they want it in that form.

It shows the function is "symmetrical" in the sense that f(t) + f(-t) = 1, which isn't obvious from either expression on its own.