Mathematics reference

David Miller

Elementary mathematical expressions

Quadratic equations
a 2 b 2 a b a b

(1)

The solutions to the general quadratic equation

ax 2 bx c 0

(2)

are
x

b b 2 4ac
2a

(3)

Taylor and Maclaurin series (power-series expansion)

The Taylor series

f x f a

x a df

1!

dx

x a

2!

d2 f
dx 2

x a

a

n!

dn f
dx n

(4)

gives a useful way of approximating

a function near to some specific point x a , giving
n
a power-series expansion in x a for the function near that point.
The Maclaurin series
x df
x2 d 2 f
f x f 0

1! dx 0 2! dx 2

xn d n f

n ! dx n
0

(5)

is a special case of the Taylor series where we are expanding around the point x 0 .
Power-series expansions of common functions

For small a, the Maclaurin expansions of various common functions are, to first order
1 a 1 a / 2

(6)

1
1 a
1 a

(7)

sin a a

(8)

tan a a

(9)

a2

(10)

exp a 1 a

(11)

cos a 1

Quantum Mechanics for Scientists and Engineers On-Line Course

Mathematics reference

David Miller

Sine and cosine addition and product formulae

sin 2 cos 2 1

(12)

sin sin cos cos sin

(13)

sin 2sin cos

(14)

cos cos cos sin sin

(15)

cos 2 cos 2 sin 2 2 cos 2 1 1 2sin 2

(16)

cos 2

1
1 cos 2
2

(17)

sin 2

1
1 cos 2
2

(18)

cos cos

1
cos cos
2

(19)

sin sin

1
cos cos
2

(20)

sin cos

1
sin sin
2

(21)

cos cos 2 cos
2

cos

(22)

sin sin 2sin
2

cos

(23)

cos cos 2sin
2

sin sin 2 cos
2

sin

sin

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(24)
(25)

Mathematics reference

David Miller

Differential calculus
Product rule

d
dv
du
uv u v
dx
dx
dx

(26)

du
dv
u
dx
dx
v2

(27)

Quotient rule
d u

dx v

Chain rule

df dg
d
f g x
dx
dg fx

(28)

Derivatives of elementary functions

d n
x nx n 1
dx

(29)

d
exp ax a exp ax
dx

(30)

d
1
ln x
dx
x

(31)

d
sin x cos x
dx

(32)

d
cos x sin x
dx

(33)

d sin 1 x
1

dx
1 x2

(34)

d tan 1 x
1

1 x2
dx

(35)

Quantum Mechanics for Scientists and Engineers On-Line Course

Mathematics reference

David Miller

Integral calculus
Integration by parts
b

b
dg x
df x
b
f ( x)
dx

f
x
g
x

g x dx

a
dx
dx
a

(36)

where we use the common notation

h x h b h a
a

(37)

f x g x a f b g b f a g a

(38)

and, specifically, here

b

Some definite integrals

sin nx dx 2
2

(39)

4nm

x / 2 sin nx sin mx dx n m n m
2

, for n m odd

(40)

0 , for n m even

sin cos 2 d 2 / 3

(41)

sin 2 cos d 4 / 3

(42)

1/2

sin 3 d

4
3

exp t dt

(43)

(44)

sin x
dx
x

(45)

sin x
x dx

exp x dx
2

(46)

(47)

1 x

dx

(48)

Quantum Mechanics for Scientists and Engineers On-Line Course