Why can't you find all antiderivatives by integrating a power series? if f ( x ) =

Summer Bradford

Summer Bradford

Answered question

2022-06-22

Why can't you find all antiderivatives by integrating a power series?
if f ( x ) = n = 0 f ( n ) ( 0 ) n ! x n why can't you do the following to find a general solution
F ( x ) f ( x ) d x
F ( x ) = ( n = 0 f ( n ) ( 0 ) n ! x n ) d x = n = 0 f ( n ) ( 0 ) n ! ( x n d x ) = n = 0 f ( n ) ( 0 ) n ! ( x n + 1 n + 1 ) = n = 0 f ( n ) ( 0 ) ( n + 1 ) ! x n + 1
I was wondering about this because I tried this approach to finding the antiderivative e x 2 d x

Answer & Explanation

laure6237ma

laure6237ma

Beginner2022-06-23Added 27 answers

Step 1
First of all, f ( x ) d x is a collections of functions, not a function. You should rather define F ( x ) = t = 0 x f ( t ) d t.
Step 2
Then, you should be careful about interchanging and n = 0 . This is true for finite sums, but not always for infinite series of integral (look e.g. Fatou-Lebesgue theorem) - it is the same as interchanging a limit for integration.
Finally, you have to be able to calculate the infinite series you end up with.
Makayla Boyd

Makayla Boyd

Beginner2022-06-24Added 6 answers

Step 1
If the integrand f(x) can be represented as a power series (let's say with infinite radius of convergence) like f ( x ) = e x 2 can, then you can use that power series representation, just like you say, to obtain a power series representation of the integral f ( x ) d x. But that does not mean you will be able to figure out an elementary expression for that power series. Sometimes, the integral simply does not have such an expression.
Step 2
However, certainly for purposes of numerical integration but also for purposes of studying the solution, this method is very useful. Power series are great!

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