What is the integral of x(z)/(1+x(z)) wrt z?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the integration of the function x(z)/(1+x(z)) with respect to z, where x(z) is a linear combination of several decimal powers of z. Participants explore the challenges of performing this integration, particularly in the context of using Mathematica for numerical and symbolic integration.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses difficulty in integrating x(z)/(1+x(z)) and notes that Mathematica crashes during numerical integration attempts.
  • Another participant asks for clarification on whether the integration is complex or real and requests the limits of integration.
  • A third participant suggests that the integral can be reduced to a simpler form, specifically integrating 1/(1+x(z)), but acknowledges that this reduction is not straightforward and raises the example of x(z)=e^{z^{2}} as a complex case related to the error function.
  • One participant mentions issues with file compatibility regarding the Mathematica notebook format (*.NB) and seeks clarification on what application uses this file type.
  • Another participant confirms that *.NB files are used by Mathematica and provides a suggestion for numerical integration using the NIntegrate function, along with an example of its usage.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants have not reached a consensus on how to approach the integration problem, and multiple viewpoints on the method of integration and the nature of x(z) remain. The discussion includes both numerical and symbolic integration perspectives.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved aspects regarding the specific form of x(z) and its implications for the integration process. Additionally, the discussion highlights the difference between numerical and symbolic integration methods in Mathematica.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in mathematical integration techniques, particularly those using Mathematica, and those dealing with complex functions in integration may find this discussion relevant.

natski
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I am trying to integrate:

x(z)/(1+x(z)) wrt z.

I know the function x(z), it basically just made up a linear combination of several decimal powers of z. Mathematica refuses to do an numerical integration and just crashes when it gets a couple of minutes in on my laptop.

If x(z) was just z then I could obviously use some standard integrals but I think this is more complex than that. Any ideas on how to solve this one? I have attached the exact equation in a mathematica notebook.

Natski
 

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Is this complex or real integration? And what are your limits of integration? And it would probably help if you wrote out the entire integral.
 
Remember that this can effectively be reduced to integrating:
\int\frac{dz}{1+x(z)}
It is by no means obvious why this should at all be possible; if it were, you would for example be able to solve for the particular choice:
x(z)=e^{z^{2}}-1
That would be equivalent to find an anti-derivative to the error function..
 
I was trying to approve the attachment, but my PC doesn't know what file type *.NB is. What application uses *.NB files?
 
Mathematica.
 
I posted the original content of the .nb file to the attached pdf. Maybe the forum needs a tutorial on the simple process for Mathematica -> TeX.

From a mathematica point of view, you natski are not integrating numerically, you are forcing a symbolic result. To integrate numerically, just use the function NIntegrate, like this:

Code:
NIntegrate[integrand, {ψ, 0, N[Pi/2]}]

Then the result is:1.66469
 

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