# Math Help - Fractional Calculus

1. ## 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?

2. It's a cool topic. See here:

Fractional calculus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Here's an online text: Fractional Calculus - Table of Contents

Lot's of stuff out there. Search for it.

3. 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

4. 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