- #1
genericusrnme
- 619
- 2
Hey guys
I've been reading through a few books and I can't seem to work this out;
[tex]\int _0^{\infty }e^{-a x^2}xdx = \frac{1}{2a}[/tex]
I keep getting
[tex]\int _0^{\infty }e^{-a x^2}xdx = -\frac{1}{2a}[/tex]
I do the old variable switch
[tex]u = x^2[/tex]
[tex]du=2 x dx[/tex]
Which leaves me with
[tex]\int_0^{\infty } \frac{e^{-a u}}{2} \, du[/tex]
Which them leads me to
[tex]\text{Lim} u\to 0\frac{e^{- a u}}{-2 a}=-\frac{1}{2a}[/tex]
Where am I picking up this unwanted - from?
I can't see where I've gone wrong
I've been reading through a few books and I can't seem to work this out;
[tex]\int _0^{\infty }e^{-a x^2}xdx = \frac{1}{2a}[/tex]
I keep getting
[tex]\int _0^{\infty }e^{-a x^2}xdx = -\frac{1}{2a}[/tex]
I do the old variable switch
[tex]u = x^2[/tex]
[tex]du=2 x dx[/tex]
Which leaves me with
[tex]\int_0^{\infty } \frac{e^{-a u}}{2} \, du[/tex]
Which them leads me to
[tex]\text{Lim} u\to 0\frac{e^{- a u}}{-2 a}=-\frac{1}{2a}[/tex]
Where am I picking up this unwanted - from?
I can't see where I've gone wrong