You can represent e^-(x^2) as an infinite series, in which case you can intergrate it. You'll still be left with an infinite series, but you can do it...
On the other hand, if you're looking for a simple function (i.e. non-infinite series), then it is impossible, at least to current knowledge.
]]>your half way through calculus?? wow... ur pretty fast. are you learning it on your own or in an accelerated course???
I teach myself with a book. Saxon Calculus. All Saxon math books are great. Taught myself Algebra 1, 2 and Trig with them, and now calculus. Its a pretty long book, longer then the other ones, and calculus seems to take longer then I anticipated. Before I did 3 lessons a day and would tear through a book in about two months. (interuptions included) but calculus I usually only end up finishing one or two lessons a day. But sometimes you start to speed up as you get more familiar with the concepts, and learning and doing the problems gets easier.
]]>Until then, you can estimate the integral between two points by using numerical methods (Newton-Raphson, etc.) but you can't get the integral as an algebraic function.
]]>your half way through calculus?? wow... ur pretty fast. are you learning it on your own or in an accelerated course???
]]>integrate e^(-x^2)
If its original form had been e^(-x^2), differentiating would have produced -2x e^(-x^2) We can't go back to the original integral and say -1/2x * integral of -2x e^(-x^2) because you are not allowed to use variables when you do that. (don't ask me why)
Are some functions inpossible to integrate manually?
Keep in mind I'm about half way through my calculus book. They may teach me how to integrate a function like this in a later lesson. But perhaps I should already know how, and I'm forgeting something. Or perhaps some functions can not be integrated manually. Which is it?
]]>