# Fractional Calculus

• July 26th 2007, 02:03 PM
tukeywilliams
Fractional Calculus
What is fractional calculus used for? In other words, what is the significance of the following: $\frac{d^{1/2}{y}}{dx^{1/2}}$ for a function $y = f(x)$? Are there any applications?
• July 26th 2007, 02:11 PM
galactus
It's a cool topic. See here:

Fractional calculus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lot's of stuff out there. Search for it.
• July 26th 2007, 02:19 PM
CaptainBlack
Quote:

Originally Posted by tukeywilliams
What is fractional calculus used for? In other words, what is the significance of the following: $\frac{d^{1/2}{y}}{dx^{1/2}}$ for a function $y = f(x)$? Are there any applications?

My conclusion after a quick skim of this is no.

RonL
• July 26th 2007, 04:15 PM
topsquark
Quote:

Originally Posted by tukeywilliams
What is fractional calculus used for? In other words, what is the significance of the following: $\frac{d^{1/2}{y}}{dx^{1/2}}$ for a function $y = f(x)$? Are there any applications?

As my limited education understands it "fractional derivatives" involve "fractional dimensions" which is a topic in Chaos Theory. (Please don't quote me on this, though.)

-Dan