Whats the name of this function?

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In summary, the website integrals.wolfram.com provides the integral of a given function and sometimes includes additional functions in the answer. One of these functions is Hypergeometric2F1, which can be found in the documentation. However, by using a different form for the integral, it is possible to get a simpler result without the use of Hypergeometric2F1.
  • #1
granpa
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this site:
http://integrals.wolfram.com
gives the integral of this function:


((2.5e+9)*x^5.5)/(((1.25e+10)-x)*(1e55))

but the answer contains some function I've never heard of before and can't find in the documentation.

it looks like 2F1 (6.5, 1; 7.5; 8.02014*10^-11x)

whats the name of this function?
 
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  • #2
Well right at the bottom of the page that gives the anti-derivative, you have two links to the function named Hypergeometric2F1 (Hypergeometric Function).
 
  • #3
Good site.

I just tried [tex]\int \frac{x^{11/2}}{1-x}[/tex] and I got a result in terms of only standard functions (just log sqrt and polymonials).

Your integral can easily be put in the above form with a change of variable so I'm not sure why you got a Hypergeometric?BTW. The result I got was :

[tex]\frac{-2 \sqrt{x} \, (3465 + 1155 x + 693 x^2 + 495 x^3 + 385 x^4 + 315 x^5 )} {3465}\, - \, \log(-1 + \sqrt{x}) \,+\, \log(1 + \sqrt{x}) [/tex]Note that I entered your integral (or one trivially close to it) in the form that I thought would be least likely to confuse the program. I find that this is usually a good idea if you're hoping to get an answer in it's simplest form.

BTW. Just substitute x = 1.25E+10 u to put your itegral into the above form.
 
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  • #4
BTW: I just checked and it was only the 11/2 versus the 5.5 that was needed to give the simpler result.Also it seems that there's plenty of factors that cancel in the above.
[tex] -2 \sqrt{x} \, (1 \,+\, \frac{1}{3}\, x \,+\, \frac{1}{5}\, x^2 \,+\, \frac{1}{7}\, x^3 \, +\, \frac{1}{9}\, x^4 \, +\, \frac{1}{11} x^5 ) - \, \log(-1 + \sqrt{x}) \,+\, \log(1 + \sqrt{x}) [/tex]
 
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FAQ: Whats the name of this function?

What is a function?

A function is a block of code that can be called by other parts of a program to perform a specific task. It can accept inputs, known as parameters, and return outputs, known as return values.

What is the purpose of giving a function a name?

Giving a function a name allows us to easily identify and call it within our code. It also helps to organize and structure our code into smaller, reusable chunks.

How do you name a function?

Function names should be descriptive and indicate what the function does. They should also follow certain naming conventions, such as using camel case and avoiding special characters or spaces.

Can a function have the same name as another function?

No, functions must have unique names within the same scope. However, it is possible to have functions with the same name in different scopes, such as within different classes or modules.

What happens if you don't name a function?

If a function is not given a name, it is known as an anonymous function. These can be useful for certain programming techniques, but they cannot be called by name and must be executed immediately after they are defined.

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