Repeated convolution of a continous uniform distribution

I get the same answer with pw.mac.  I think the problem is with the definition of convolution.  If you change the t to z in 
make_dummy you get the right answer.

convolution(f,g,x) := block([t : make_dummy([e,x],z)], integrate(subst(x = t,f) * subst(x = x - t, g),t,minf,inf))$

and the sign is correct still using abs_integrate.  If you want to try pw.mac then you can do it this way which uses both packages.

(%i1) (load("pw.mac"),load("abs_integrate.mac"))$

(%i2) convolution(f,g,x) := block([t : make_dummy([e,x],z)], pwdefint(subst(x = t,f) * subst(x = x - t, g),t,minf,inf))$
(%i3) unit_box(x) := (unit_step(x) - unit_step(x-1))$
(%i4) f1 : convolution(unit_box(x),unit_box(x),x);
(%i5) f2 : convolution(f1,f1,x)$
(%i6) f3 : convolution(f2,f2,x)$
(%i7) plot2d([f1,f2,f3],[x,0,15]);

You get the same answer and the sign is right also.

You also can get centered results with respect to the y axis with the following code.

(%i1) (load("pw.mac"),load("abs_integrate.mac"))$
(%i2) convolution(f,g,x) := block([t : make_dummy([e,x],z)], pwdefint(subst(x = t,f) * subst(x = x - t, g),t,minf,inf))$

(%i5) unit_box(x):=unit_step(x+1/2)-unit_step(x-1/2)$

(%i6) f1 : convolution(unit_box(x),unit_box(x),x)$
(%i7) f2 : convolution(f1,f1,x)$
(%i8) f3 : convolution(f2,f2,x)$
(%i9) (showtime:true, f4 : convolution(f3,f3,x))$
Evaluation took 382.6300 seconds (382.6300 elapsed)
(%i10) plot2d([f1,f2,f3,f4],[x,-5,5])$
(%i13)

You can get pw.mac from my site.

http://mysite.verizon.net/res11w2yb/id2.html

Rich


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Barton Willis" <willisb at unk.edu>
To: <weaker at directbox.com>
Cc: <maxima at math.utexas.edu>
Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 8:03 AM
Subject: Re: [Maxima] Repeated convolution of a continous uniform distribution


There is code in share/contrib (abs_integrate) that should be able to
do this problem symbolically. If you don't know, code in share/contrib
is sometimes not as well tested as other parts of Maxima. Likely, your
problem shows a bug in abs_integrate. Try this

(%i47) load("abs_integrate.mac")$

(%i48) convolution(f,g,x) := block([t : make_dummy([e,x],t)],
  integrate(subst(x = t,f) * subst(x = x - t, g),t,minf,inf))$

(%i49) unit_box(x) := (unit_step(x) - unit_step(x-1))$

(%i50) f1 : convolution(unit_box(x),unit_box(x),x);
(%o50) -(x*signum(x))/2+x*signum(x-1)-signum(x-1)-(x*signum(x-2))/2+signum
(x-2)

(%i51) f2 : convolution(f1,f1,x)$

(%i52) f3 : convolution(f2,f2,x)$

(%i53) plot2d([f1,f2,f3],[x,0,15]);

I think the signs of f1,f2, and f3 are wrong.

Two more things. First, convolution(f3,f3,x) is a large mess and
further convolutions might take a long time. Maybe you should do the
problem numerically. Second, there is another package that integrates
step functions and friends. Maybe this package can do this problem
correctly--maybe the author can comment.

Barton

-----maxima-bounces at math.utexas.edu wrote: -----


>I want to do a repeated convolution of a continous uniform distribution in
>a limited interval [-a,a].


_______________________________________________
Maxima mailing list
Maxima at math.utexas.edu
http://www.math.utexas.edu/mailman/listinfo/maxima