unsolvable indefinite integral wolfram mathematica

This is in contrast to the simple, straightforward flowchart for differentiation.

The rest of the flowchart is (we can assume deliberately) even harder to follow, and does not reach a conclusion. After the first step of integration, Randall assumes that any integration can not be solved so simply, and then dives into a step named '?', suggesting that it is unknowable how to proceed. However, Randall dramatically overstates this point here. As many Calculus 2 students are painfully aware, integration is much more complicated than the differentiation it undoes.

This comic illustrates the old saying 'Differentiation is mechanics, integration is art.' It does so by providing a flowchart purporting to show the process of differentiation, and another for integration.ĭifferentiation and Integration are two major components of calculus. Title text: 'Symbolic integration' is when you theatrically go through the motions of finding integrals, but the actual result you get doesn't matter because it's purely symbolic.

Unsolvable indefinite integral wolfram mathematica