What is wrong with this false proof of $pi=0$?
$begingroup$
Consider the integral
$$I=int_{-1}^{1}frac{1}{x^2+1}mathrm{d}x$$
Now, from the standard integral results we know,
$$intfrac{1}{x^2+1}mathrm{d}x=arctan(x)+c$$
So,
$$int_{-1}^{1}frac{1}{x^2+1}mathrm{d}x=arctan(1)-arctan(-1)=frac{pi}{4}-(-frac{pi}{4})=frac{pi}{2}$$
Now, if you are bored and just doing random things you might evaluate this integral in a roundabout way by the substitution $u=dfrac{1}{x}$.
This gives the bound for the integrals as $u=dfrac{1}{-1}=-1$ to $u=dfrac{1}{1}=1$ and the differential becomes $mathrm{d}{x}=dfrac{-1}{u^2}mathrm{d}{u}$. So, the integral becomes
$$int_{-1}^{1}frac{1}{frac{1}{u^2}+1}frac{-1}{u^2}mathrm{d}u = -int_{-1}^{1}frac{1}{u^2+1}mathrm{d}u=-I$$.
Now, $$I=-I implies 2I=0implies pi=0$$.
So, there is your false proof.
I think that the problem in the proof comes when we do the substitution $x=dfrac{1}{u}$. But, I dunno what it is. Does it have to do something with the continuity of the substitution, or is it something else.
integration fake-proofs
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Consider the integral
$$I=int_{-1}^{1}frac{1}{x^2+1}mathrm{d}x$$
Now, from the standard integral results we know,
$$intfrac{1}{x^2+1}mathrm{d}x=arctan(x)+c$$
So,
$$int_{-1}^{1}frac{1}{x^2+1}mathrm{d}x=arctan(1)-arctan(-1)=frac{pi}{4}-(-frac{pi}{4})=frac{pi}{2}$$
Now, if you are bored and just doing random things you might evaluate this integral in a roundabout way by the substitution $u=dfrac{1}{x}$.
This gives the bound for the integrals as $u=dfrac{1}{-1}=-1$ to $u=dfrac{1}{1}=1$ and the differential becomes $mathrm{d}{x}=dfrac{-1}{u^2}mathrm{d}{u}$. So, the integral becomes
$$int_{-1}^{1}frac{1}{frac{1}{u^2}+1}frac{-1}{u^2}mathrm{d}u = -int_{-1}^{1}frac{1}{u^2+1}mathrm{d}u=-I$$.
Now, $$I=-I implies 2I=0implies pi=0$$.
So, there is your false proof.
I think that the problem in the proof comes when we do the substitution $x=dfrac{1}{u}$. But, I dunno what it is. Does it have to do something with the continuity of the substitution, or is it something else.
integration fake-proofs
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
Think about the bounds. What happens when $xto0$?
$endgroup$
– Peter Foreman
yesterday
$begingroup$
@PeterForeman So, if the substituted variable becomes discontinuous at some point where the original variable was continuous so we cant proceed with the integration with substitution. Am I correct to infer that?
$endgroup$
– user350331
yesterday
1
$begingroup$
You can change limits, if variable is undefined somewhere. 1/x is discontinuous (to say more precisely) in range [-1,1]. For this you have to seperate into two integrals $int_{-1}^{0^-} + int_{0^+}^1$
$endgroup$
– Tojrah
yesterday
$begingroup$
BTW, with TeX and MathJax, you want the punctuation inside the double dollar sign, since that ends the line. Otherwise, you end up with the punctuation all by itself on the next line. (With a single dollar sign, you want the punctuation outside, since the punctuation isn't part of the math.)
$endgroup$
– Teepeemm
yesterday
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Consider the integral
$$I=int_{-1}^{1}frac{1}{x^2+1}mathrm{d}x$$
Now, from the standard integral results we know,
$$intfrac{1}{x^2+1}mathrm{d}x=arctan(x)+c$$
So,
$$int_{-1}^{1}frac{1}{x^2+1}mathrm{d}x=arctan(1)-arctan(-1)=frac{pi}{4}-(-frac{pi}{4})=frac{pi}{2}$$
Now, if you are bored and just doing random things you might evaluate this integral in a roundabout way by the substitution $u=dfrac{1}{x}$.
This gives the bound for the integrals as $u=dfrac{1}{-1}=-1$ to $u=dfrac{1}{1}=1$ and the differential becomes $mathrm{d}{x}=dfrac{-1}{u^2}mathrm{d}{u}$. So, the integral becomes
$$int_{-1}^{1}frac{1}{frac{1}{u^2}+1}frac{-1}{u^2}mathrm{d}u = -int_{-1}^{1}frac{1}{u^2+1}mathrm{d}u=-I$$.
Now, $$I=-I implies 2I=0implies pi=0$$.
So, there is your false proof.
I think that the problem in the proof comes when we do the substitution $x=dfrac{1}{u}$. But, I dunno what it is. Does it have to do something with the continuity of the substitution, or is it something else.
integration fake-proofs
$endgroup$
Consider the integral
$$I=int_{-1}^{1}frac{1}{x^2+1}mathrm{d}x$$
Now, from the standard integral results we know,
$$intfrac{1}{x^2+1}mathrm{d}x=arctan(x)+c$$
So,
$$int_{-1}^{1}frac{1}{x^2+1}mathrm{d}x=arctan(1)-arctan(-1)=frac{pi}{4}-(-frac{pi}{4})=frac{pi}{2}$$
Now, if you are bored and just doing random things you might evaluate this integral in a roundabout way by the substitution $u=dfrac{1}{x}$.
This gives the bound for the integrals as $u=dfrac{1}{-1}=-1$ to $u=dfrac{1}{1}=1$ and the differential becomes $mathrm{d}{x}=dfrac{-1}{u^2}mathrm{d}{u}$. So, the integral becomes
$$int_{-1}^{1}frac{1}{frac{1}{u^2}+1}frac{-1}{u^2}mathrm{d}u = -int_{-1}^{1}frac{1}{u^2+1}mathrm{d}u=-I$$.
Now, $$I=-I implies 2I=0implies pi=0$$.
So, there is your false proof.
I think that the problem in the proof comes when we do the substitution $x=dfrac{1}{u}$. But, I dunno what it is. Does it have to do something with the continuity of the substitution, or is it something else.
integration fake-proofs
integration fake-proofs
edited yesterday
YuiTo Cheng
2,43841037
2,43841037
asked yesterday
user350331user350331
1,32321232
1,32321232
1
$begingroup$
Think about the bounds. What happens when $xto0$?
$endgroup$
– Peter Foreman
yesterday
$begingroup$
@PeterForeman So, if the substituted variable becomes discontinuous at some point where the original variable was continuous so we cant proceed with the integration with substitution. Am I correct to infer that?
$endgroup$
– user350331
yesterday
1
$begingroup$
You can change limits, if variable is undefined somewhere. 1/x is discontinuous (to say more precisely) in range [-1,1]. For this you have to seperate into two integrals $int_{-1}^{0^-} + int_{0^+}^1$
$endgroup$
– Tojrah
yesterday
$begingroup$
BTW, with TeX and MathJax, you want the punctuation inside the double dollar sign, since that ends the line. Otherwise, you end up with the punctuation all by itself on the next line. (With a single dollar sign, you want the punctuation outside, since the punctuation isn't part of the math.)
$endgroup$
– Teepeemm
yesterday
add a comment |
1
$begingroup$
Think about the bounds. What happens when $xto0$?
$endgroup$
– Peter Foreman
yesterday
$begingroup$
@PeterForeman So, if the substituted variable becomes discontinuous at some point where the original variable was continuous so we cant proceed with the integration with substitution. Am I correct to infer that?
$endgroup$
– user350331
yesterday
1
$begingroup$
You can change limits, if variable is undefined somewhere. 1/x is discontinuous (to say more precisely) in range [-1,1]. For this you have to seperate into two integrals $int_{-1}^{0^-} + int_{0^+}^1$
$endgroup$
– Tojrah
yesterday
$begingroup$
BTW, with TeX and MathJax, you want the punctuation inside the double dollar sign, since that ends the line. Otherwise, you end up with the punctuation all by itself on the next line. (With a single dollar sign, you want the punctuation outside, since the punctuation isn't part of the math.)
$endgroup$
– Teepeemm
yesterday
1
1
$begingroup$
Think about the bounds. What happens when $xto0$?
$endgroup$
– Peter Foreman
yesterday
$begingroup$
Think about the bounds. What happens when $xto0$?
$endgroup$
– Peter Foreman
yesterday
$begingroup$
@PeterForeman So, if the substituted variable becomes discontinuous at some point where the original variable was continuous so we cant proceed with the integration with substitution. Am I correct to infer that?
$endgroup$
– user350331
yesterday
$begingroup$
@PeterForeman So, if the substituted variable becomes discontinuous at some point where the original variable was continuous so we cant proceed with the integration with substitution. Am I correct to infer that?
$endgroup$
– user350331
yesterday
1
1
$begingroup$
You can change limits, if variable is undefined somewhere. 1/x is discontinuous (to say more precisely) in range [-1,1]. For this you have to seperate into two integrals $int_{-1}^{0^-} + int_{0^+}^1$
$endgroup$
– Tojrah
yesterday
$begingroup$
You can change limits, if variable is undefined somewhere. 1/x is discontinuous (to say more precisely) in range [-1,1]. For this you have to seperate into two integrals $int_{-1}^{0^-} + int_{0^+}^1$
$endgroup$
– Tojrah
yesterday
$begingroup$
BTW, with TeX and MathJax, you want the punctuation inside the double dollar sign, since that ends the line. Otherwise, you end up with the punctuation all by itself on the next line. (With a single dollar sign, you want the punctuation outside, since the punctuation isn't part of the math.)
$endgroup$
– Teepeemm
yesterday
$begingroup$
BTW, with TeX and MathJax, you want the punctuation inside the double dollar sign, since that ends the line. Otherwise, you end up with the punctuation all by itself on the next line. (With a single dollar sign, you want the punctuation outside, since the punctuation isn't part of the math.)
$endgroup$
– Teepeemm
yesterday
add a comment |
2 Answers
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$begingroup$
What you should actually get is that
$$I=int_0^1 frac1{x^2+1}dx+int_{-1}^0 frac1{x^2+1}dx$$
Then the substitution will give
$$I=-int_infty^1 frac1{u^2+1}du-int_{-1}^{-infty} frac1{u^2+1}du$$
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
The flaw is in changing the integration interval.
$$-1le xle1iff frac1xle-1lor frac1xge 1$$
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add a comment |
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$begingroup$
What you should actually get is that
$$I=int_0^1 frac1{x^2+1}dx+int_{-1}^0 frac1{x^2+1}dx$$
Then the substitution will give
$$I=-int_infty^1 frac1{u^2+1}du-int_{-1}^{-infty} frac1{u^2+1}du$$
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
What you should actually get is that
$$I=int_0^1 frac1{x^2+1}dx+int_{-1}^0 frac1{x^2+1}dx$$
Then the substitution will give
$$I=-int_infty^1 frac1{u^2+1}du-int_{-1}^{-infty} frac1{u^2+1}du$$
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
What you should actually get is that
$$I=int_0^1 frac1{x^2+1}dx+int_{-1}^0 frac1{x^2+1}dx$$
Then the substitution will give
$$I=-int_infty^1 frac1{u^2+1}du-int_{-1}^{-infty} frac1{u^2+1}du$$
$endgroup$
What you should actually get is that
$$I=int_0^1 frac1{x^2+1}dx+int_{-1}^0 frac1{x^2+1}dx$$
Then the substitution will give
$$I=-int_infty^1 frac1{u^2+1}du-int_{-1}^{-infty} frac1{u^2+1}du$$
answered yesterday
Peter ForemanPeter Foreman
7,8731320
7,8731320
add a comment |
add a comment |
$begingroup$
The flaw is in changing the integration interval.
$$-1le xle1iff frac1xle-1lor frac1xge 1$$
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
The flaw is in changing the integration interval.
$$-1le xle1iff frac1xle-1lor frac1xge 1$$
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
The flaw is in changing the integration interval.
$$-1le xle1iff frac1xle-1lor frac1xge 1$$
$endgroup$
The flaw is in changing the integration interval.
$$-1le xle1iff frac1xle-1lor frac1xge 1$$
answered yesterday
Yves DaoustYves Daoust
133k676232
133k676232
add a comment |
add a comment |
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1
$begingroup$
Think about the bounds. What happens when $xto0$?
$endgroup$
– Peter Foreman
yesterday
$begingroup$
@PeterForeman So, if the substituted variable becomes discontinuous at some point where the original variable was continuous so we cant proceed with the integration with substitution. Am I correct to infer that?
$endgroup$
– user350331
yesterday
1
$begingroup$
You can change limits, if variable is undefined somewhere. 1/x is discontinuous (to say more precisely) in range [-1,1]. For this you have to seperate into two integrals $int_{-1}^{0^-} + int_{0^+}^1$
$endgroup$
– Tojrah
yesterday
$begingroup$
BTW, with TeX and MathJax, you want the punctuation inside the double dollar sign, since that ends the line. Otherwise, you end up with the punctuation all by itself on the next line. (With a single dollar sign, you want the punctuation outside, since the punctuation isn't part of the math.)
$endgroup$
– Teepeemm
yesterday