Taylor series to evaluate fractional-ordered derivatives

In summary, the conversation discusses the possibility of using the Taylor series to evaluate fractional-ordered derivatives of any function. However, there are limitations such as not all functions having a Taylor series or derivatives, and the convergence of the series not always leading to the correct function. Further investigation is needed to determine the applicability of this method.
  • #1
Kumar8434
121
5
Can the Taylor series be used to evaluate fractional-ordered derivative of any function?
I got this from Wikipedia:
$$\frac{d^a}{dx^a}x^k=\frac{\Gamma({k+1})}{\Gamma({k-a+1})}x^{k-a}$$
From this, we can compute fractional-ordered derivatives of a function of the form ##cx^k##, where ##c## and ##k## are constants (assuming that the constant term gets out of the derivative even in case of fractional derivatives, which must be true).
So, if the derivatives of fractional order have the property of distribution over addition, i.e. it distributes over the various terms of a function connected by the addition operator, then it should be easy to evaluate fractional ordered derivatives of any function ##f(x)## by applying the fractional ordered derivative to the Taylor series of the function.
But it wasn't mentioned anywhere on the Wikipedia article on fractional calculus about using Taylor series to evaluate fractional-ordered derivatives of any function. Does some problem come in evaluating fractional-ordered derivatives that way?
 
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  • #2
Kumar8434 said:
Can the Taylor series be used to evaluate fractional-ordered derivative of any function?

Some functions don't have a Taylor series. Some functions don't have derivatives. If a function has derivatives of all orders and has a Taylor series, the Taylor series doesn't necessarily converge. So, to formulate a useful question, you need to ask specifically about functions that have a convergent Taylor series. That's worth investigating. I don't know the answer. There are several different types of fractional derivatives, so it isn't a precisely defined question till we pick a specific type of fractional derivative.
 
  • #3
Stephen Tashi said:
Some functions don't have a Taylor series. Some functions don't have derivatives. If a function has derivatives of all orders and has a Taylor series, the Taylor series doesn't necessarily converge. So, to formulate a useful question, you need to ask specifically about functions that have a convergent Taylor series. That's worth investigating. I don't know the answer. There are several different types of fractional derivatives, so it isn't a precisely defined question till we pick a specific type of fractional derivative.
I've picked this gamma function definition of fractional derivatives. Can this be used to get fractional derivatives of ##sinx##. ##logx##, etc?
 
  • #4
Stephen Tashi said:
Some functions don't have a Taylor series. Some functions don't have derivatives. If a function has derivatives of all orders and has a Taylor series, the Taylor series doesn't necessarily converge. So, to formulate a useful question, you need to ask specifically about functions that have a convergent Taylor series. That's worth investigating. I don't know the answer. There are several different types of fractional derivatives, so it isn't a precisely defined question till we pick a specific type of fractional derivative.

Sometimes it also happens that a function has derivatives of all orders and has a convergent Taylor series, but it converges towards a wrong function... Think about a function defined by: ##f(x) = 0## if ##x \leq 0##, ##f(x)=e^{-1/x}## if ##x > 0##.
 

FAQ: Taylor series to evaluate fractional-ordered derivatives

What is a Taylor series?

A Taylor series is a mathematical representation of a function as an infinite sum of terms, where each term is a derivative of the function evaluated at a specific point.

How is a Taylor series used to evaluate fractional-ordered derivatives?

A Taylor series can be used to evaluate fractional-ordered derivatives by expanding the function into a series of terms and then using the definition of a fractional derivative to calculate the coefficients of the series.

What are fractional-ordered derivatives?

Fractional-ordered derivatives are a generalization of traditional derivatives where the order of the derivative is a non-integer value. They are useful in many areas of science and engineering, such as signal processing and fluid dynamics.

Why are Taylor series used to evaluate fractional-ordered derivatives?

Taylor series are used to evaluate fractional-ordered derivatives because they provide a convenient and accurate way to approximate the value of a function at a given point. They also allow for the calculation of fractional-ordered derivatives without the need for complex mathematical formulas.

What are the limitations of using Taylor series to evaluate fractional-ordered derivatives?

The main limitation of using Taylor series to evaluate fractional-ordered derivatives is that the series may not converge for all values of the fractional derivative. Additionally, the accuracy of the approximation may decrease as the order of the fractional derivative increases.

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