Draft:Ahmed's integral

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Ahmed's integral is a definite integral over the unit interval which equals to 5Ο€296 and is written as;

∫01(𝕒𝕣𝕔π•₯π•’π•Ÿ(2+x2)(1+x2)2+x2)dx=5Ο€296

The integral is used as a popular problem and puzzle in various webs and videos online. It was proposed by Zafar Ahmed during 2001 to 2002 in the American Mathematical Monthly.[1]

Methods of solving

Substitution

One of the few ways of integrating this is by substitution.[2][3]

Let the integral be I;

I=∫01(𝕒𝕣𝕔π•₯π•’π•Ÿ(2+x2)(1+x2)2+x2)dx

Then use 𝕒𝕣𝕔π•₯π•’π•Ÿ(z)=Ο€2βˆ’π•’π•£π•”π•₯π•’π•Ÿ(1z) to split I as I=I1βˆ’I2. Now substitute x=π•₯π•’π•Ÿ(ΞΈ);

I1=Ο€2∫0Ο€4𝕔𝕠𝕀(ΞΈ)2βˆ’π•€π•šπ•Ÿ2(ΞΈ)dΞΈ

Proceed by substituting 2π•€π•šπ•Ÿ(Ο•) into ΞΈ which equates to;

I1=Ο€212

Next, we can use the representation of;

I=1a𝕒𝕣𝕔π•₯π•’π•Ÿ(1a)∫011x2+a2dx, where aβ‰ 0

to express;

I2=∫01∫011(1+x2)(2+x2+y2)dxdy.

Which can be rewritten as;

I2=∫01∫011(1+x2)(1+y2)dxdyβˆ’βˆ«01∫011(1+y2)(2+x2+y2)dxdy.

Which becomes;

I2=Ο€232

And thus;

I=Ο€212βˆ’Ο€232=5Ο€296

Feynman's Trick

Another method is by using Feynman's Trick.[4][1]

Begin with a 'u-parameterized' version of Ahmed's integral;

I(u)=∫01(𝕒𝕣𝕔π•₯π•’π•Ÿ(u2+x2)(1+x2)2+x2)dx

Differentiate it with respect to u. I(1) is Ahmed's integral. As u > inf, the argument for arctan also > inf for all x>0, since arctan(inf)=pi/2 then;

I(∞)=Ο€2∫011(1+x2)2+x2dx

References

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