Thread Subject: Complementary Error functions

Hi,

I'm trying to compute the following complementary error function:

I(x,t)=(1/2)*(Io)*erfc((x/(2t)*(1/sqrt(d)))

where x is a distance, t is the time, and D is a dilution constant (which is what I'm trying to calculate). How would I go about doing this?

"Jeremy " <morrisje@william.jewell.edu> wrote in message
news:ivkgcd$s5f$1@newscl01ah.mathworks.com...
> Hi,
>
> I'm trying to compute the following complementary error function:
>
> I(x,t)=(1/2)*(Io)*erfc((x/(2t)*(1/sqrt(d)))
>
> where x is a distance, t is the time, and D is a dilution constant (which
> is what I'm trying to calculate). How would I go about doing this?

So you know I(x, t), x, t, and Io and want to compute d? Rewrite your
equation so it's in the form F(d) = 0 [where F can also depend on I(x, t),
x, t, and Io] then use FZERO.

--
Steve Lord
slord@mathworks.com
To contact Technical Support use the Contact Us link on
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"Steven_Lord" <slord@mathworks.com> wrote in message <ivkjbn$827$1@newscl01ah.mathworks.com>...
> "Jeremy " <morrisje@william.jewell.edu> wrote in message
> news:ivkgcd$s5f$1@newscl01ah.mathworks.com...
> > I'm trying to compute the following complementary error function:
> >
> > I(x,t)=(1/2)*(Io)*erfc((x/(2t)*(1/sqrt(d)))
> >
> > where x is a distance, t is the time, and D is a dilution constant (which
> > is what I'm trying to calculate). How would I go about doing this?
>
> So you know I(x, t), x, t, and Io and want to compute d? Rewrite your
> equation so it's in the form F(d) = 0 [where F can also depend on I(x, t),
> x, t, and Io] then use FZERO.
- - - - - - - -
  If as Steve says, you know I, x, t, and Io, then you can solve for d. However, you don't really need to use fzero because the erfcinv function is available. The equation

 I=Io/2*erfc(x/(2t)/sqrt(d))

converts to this:

 d = (x/2/t/erfcinv(2*I/Io))^2

Of course you must have 0 <= I <= Io.

Roger Stafford