User:GFauxPas/Sandbox

Welcome to my sandbox, you are free to play here as long as you don't track sand onto the main wiki. --GFauxPas 09:28, 7 November 2011 (CST)

Normal Distributions
There are a bunch of definitions and theorems I plan on putting up regarding normal distributions. However, as Brace/Brace's book does not assume knowledge of Calculus, I'm going to have to make some calls. Regarding the definite integral:


 * $\displaystyle \int_a^b \frac 1 {\sqrt{2\pi}} \exp \left({-\frac 1 2x^2 }\right) \, \mathrm dx$

I can approach it two ways. As a function of two variables $a,b$ or as a function of intervals of the form $[a..b]$. The first option is I think easier, but the second option might closer represent the underlying sample space of all real intervals. Or am I arguing semantics? Also, if the second way, what's the best way to represent "the set of all real intervals"?

Also, it's often used as a real function:


 * $x \mapsto \displaystyle \int_{\to -\infty}^x \frac 1 {\sqrt{2\pi}} \exp \left({-\frac 1 2t^2 }\right) \, \mathrm dt$

Should I give that guy a transclusion, or put them both on one page? --GFauxPas (talk) 15:10, 12 December 2012 (UTC)


 * The first stage is for the raw indefinite integral itself to be extracted into a separate page (it might already be, as the Gaussian integral) - not trivial to solve of course.


 * You can then treat the def int just as a standard instance of a definite integral: I would treat it as a function of two variables a and b because the interval-ness of it is completely subsumed by the integral-ness of it. Once you've established it's a d.i. you don't need to establish that it's an interval - you know it is because it's an integral.


 * The second is then a function of one variable, $x$. Give these two babes separate pages to start with, both linking to the same indef int (see above) and then if it's appropriate we can merge them with a transclusion. Maybe transclude both def ints into the one main indef int page. That will set us a precedent for all calculus pages: make the indefinite integral the main page and transclude the def int as a subpage. I confess I haven't addressed integral calculus since this new paradigm evolved, so none of this has been even thought about. Feel free to play. --prime mover (talk) 16:24, 12 December 2012 (UTC)