Integrating a product of two functions - one lags the other

In summary, the conversation discusses the possibility of integrating a product of two functions, where one function is "lagging" behind the other. The original question involves finding a way to integrate a function without expanding the brackets. The interested reader is given more background information, including the use of Bernstein basis polynomials and the potential solution of using nested integration by parts. The goal is to avoid converting the Bernstein polynomials to the power basis for reasons of stability and efficiency.
  • #1
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Integrating a product of two functions - one "lags" the other

I am wondering if there is a way to integrate the following function without first expanding the brackets:

[itex]\int\limits_{x1}^{x2} x^2\left(x-a\right)^2\,dx[/itex]

The idea behind the question is a bit more complex than I am letting on, but this example gets to the heart of the problem.

____________________________________________________________________________

For the interested reader I will give a bit more background; I am really trying to do the following integral:

[itex]\int\limits_{x1}^{x2} Bx_{k1}^{n1}(tx1(x))Bx_{k2}^{n2}(tx2(x))\,dx[/itex]

where the functions tx1 and tx2 return values ranging from [0,1] over the domain to be integrated. Actually, I can just tell you what they are.

[itex]tx1=\frac{250x}{21}-\frac{5}{7}[/itex] and [itex]tx2=\frac{250x}{21}[/itex] while [itex]x_1=0.06[/itex] and [itex]x_2=0.084[/itex]

The Bx functions are Bernstein basis polynomials. In the above example, I have used the "square" function instead.

Note that I can solve this problem by converting the Bernstein polynomials to the power basis (this is akin to expanding the brackets in the original question). However, I am trying to avoid doing this for reasons of numerical stability and efficiency.
 
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  • #2
I just had a thought... it seems to me that a nested integration by parts might work. The idea came to me by looking at the "simple" but representative example above. This should also work for Bernstein polynomials, as their derivatives eventually become zero, in a similar fashion to the monomials.
 

Related to Integrating a product of two functions - one lags the other

1. What is the purpose of integrating a product of two functions?

The purpose of integrating a product of two functions is to find the area under the curve formed by the product of the two functions. This can be useful in various applications, such as calculating work done, determining the change in a variable over time, or finding the total amount of a substance produced.

2. How do you integrate a product of two functions?

To integrate a product of two functions, you can use the product rule for integration, which states that the integral of the product of two functions is equal to the first function multiplied by the integral of the second function, plus the integral of the first derivative of the first function multiplied by the integral of the second function. This process involves finding the antiderivatives of each function and then plugging them into the formula.

3. Can you integrate a product of two functions if one of the functions is lagging the other?

Yes, you can still integrate a product of two functions if one of the functions is lagging the other. You would simply need to adjust the limits of integration to account for the lag. For example, if one function is lagging behind the other by 2 seconds, you would integrate from 2 to the final time instead of from 0 to the final time.

4. What are some common applications of integrating a product of two functions?

Integrating a product of two functions can be used in various applications, such as calculating the work done by a force that is changing over time, determining the change in a variable over time, or finding the total amount of a substance produced in a chemical reaction. It can also be used in economics to calculate revenue or profit.

5. Are there any limitations to integrating a product of two functions?

One limitation to integrating a product of two functions is that it assumes that the functions are continuous and differentiable over the given interval. Additionally, in some cases, it may be difficult to find the antiderivatives of the functions, which can make integration more challenging. It is also important to keep in mind that integration is an approximation, and the accuracy of the result depends on the function and the method used for integration.

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