Wallis meets quantum mechanics

Calculus Level 4

e 2 x ( 4 x ) d x = e 8 c = 1 2 c α c 2 β \int _{ -\infty }^{ \infty }{ { e }^{ 2x(4-x) }dx={ e }^{ 8 }\prod _{ c=1 }^{ \infty }{ \frac { 2c }{ \sqrt { \alpha { c }^{ 2 }-\beta } } } }

Find the positive, integral values of α \alpha and β \beta which satisfy the given equation. Write your answer as α + β \alpha +\beta .


This problem is original, but slightly inspired by Digvijay Singh .

Picture credits: QHO-squeezed-vacuum1dB-animation-color by Geek3, Wikipedia


The answer is 5.

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1 solution

Consider the integral, change x x to be x + 2 x+2 , we get exp ( 2 ( x + 2 ) ( 2 x ) ) d x = exp ( 2 ( 4 x 2 ) ) d x = e 8 exp ( 2 x 2 ) d x = e 8 2 exp ( x 2 ) d x = e 8 π 2 . \begin{aligned} \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \exp(2(x+2)(2-x)) \, dx &= \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \exp(2(4-x^2)) \, dx\\[5pt] &=e^8 \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \exp(-2x^2) \, dx\\[5pt] &=\frac{e^8}{\sqrt{2}} \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \exp(-x^2) \, dx\\[5pt] &=\frac{e^8 \sqrt{\pi}}{\sqrt{2}}. \end{aligned} Note that we changed x x to be x 2 \frac{x}{\sqrt{2}} meanwhile. Therefore, e 8 π 2 = e 8 c = 1 2 c α c 2 β . e^8 \sqrt{\frac{\pi}{2}}=e^8 \prod_{c=1}^{\infty}\frac{2c}{\sqrt{\alpha c^2-\beta}}. We can express this equation as π 2 = c = 1 4 c 2 α c 2 β , \frac{\pi}{2} = \prod_{c=1}^{\infty} \frac{4c^2}{\alpha c^2-\beta}, which is Wallis formula, where α = 4 \alpha=4 and β = 1 \beta=1 . The answer is 4 + 1 = 5 4+1=\boxed{5} .

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