What is the method to obtain this integral result?

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter EngWiPy
  • Start date Start date
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
2 replies · 2K views
EngWiPy
Messages
1,361
Reaction score
61
Hello,

I am reading some material that using mathematics extensively, and I encountered with the following result:

[tex]\frac{N}{\overline{\gamma}}\,\int_0^{\infty}\gamma\,\left[1-\mbox{e}^{-\gamma/\overline{\gamma}}\right]^{N-1}\,\mbox{e}^{-\gamma/\overline{\gamma}}\,d\gamma=\,\overline{\gamma}\sum_{k=1}^N\frac{1}{k}[/tex]

How did they get there? I tried to use the binomial expansion and assemble the exponentials, but the result was totally different. Any hint will be highly appreciated.

Thanks in advance
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Note that the integrand looks very much like a derivative of
[tex]\left( 1 - e^{-\gamma / \overline{\gamma}} \right)^N[/tex]
with respect to either gamma or gamma-bar.
Maybe you can use that to your advantage.
 
CompuChip said:
Note that the integrand looks very much like a derivative of
[tex]\left( 1 - e^{-\gamma / \overline{\gamma}} \right)^N[/tex]
with respect to either gamma or gamma-bar.
Maybe you can use that to your advantage.

Yes, you are right. the term [tex]\left[1-\mbox{e}^{-\gamma/\overline{\gamma}}\right]^N[/tex] is the CDF of [tex]\gamma[/tex]. In the integral it is intended to find the statistical average (the expected value) of [tex]\gamma[/tex] which needs the PDF of [tex]\gamma[/tex] which is the derivative of the CDF with respect to [tex]\gamma[/tex]. But I am still stuck. Any further hint?

Thanks in advance