Erf
Details
- Mathematical function, suitable for both symbolic and numerical manipulation.
- Erf [z] is the integral of the Gaussian distribution, given by .
- Erf [z0,z1] is given by .
- Erf [z] is an entire function of z with no branch cut discontinuities.
- For certain special arguments, Erf automatically evaluates to exact values.
- Erf can be evaluated to arbitrary numerical precision.
- Erf automatically threads over lists.
- Erf can be used with Interval and CenteredInterval objects. »
Examples
open all close allBasic Examples (5)
Evaluate numerically:
Plot over a subset of the reals:
Plot over a subset of the complexes:
Series expansion at the origin:
Series expansion at Infinity :
Scope (40)
Numerical Evaluation (6)
Evaluate numerically:
Evaluate to high precision:
The precision of the output tracks the precision of the input:
Evaluate for complex arguments:
Evaluate Erf efficiently at high precision:
Compute worst-case guaranteed intervals using Interval and CenteredInterval objects:
Or compute average-case statistical intervals using Around :
Compute the elementwise values of an array:
Or compute the matrix Erf function using MatrixFunction :
Specific Values (3)
Visualization (2)
Function Properties (10)
Erf is defined for all real and complex values:
Erf takes all real values between –1 and 1:
Erf is an odd function:
Erf has the mirror property erf(TemplateBox[{z}, Conjugate])=TemplateBox[{{erf, (, z, )}}, Conjugate]:
Erf is an analytic function of x:
It has no singularities or discontinuities:
Erf is nondecreasing:
Erf is injective:
Erf is not surjective:
Erf is neither non-negative nor non-positive:
Erf is neither convex nor concave:
Differentiation (3)
First derivative:
Higher derivatives:
Formula for the n^(th) derivative:
Integration (3)
Indefinite integral of Erf :
Definite integral of an odd integrand over an interval centered at the origin is 0:
More integrals:
Series Expansions (4)
Integral Transforms (2)
Compute the Fourier transform of Erf using FourierTransform :
Function Identities and Simplifications (3)
Integral definition of the error function:
Argument involving basic arithmetic operations:
The two-argument form gives the difference:
Function Representations (4)
Error function in terms of the incomplete Gamma :
Represent in terms of MeijerG using MeijerGReduce :
Erf can be represented as a DifferentialRoot :
TraditionalForm formatting:
Generalizations & Extensions (1)
The two-argument form gives the difference:
Applications (3)
Express the CDF of NormalDistribution in terms of the error function:
The cumulative probabilities for values of the normal random variable lie between -n σ and n σ:
The solution of the heat equation for a piecewise‐constant initial condition:
A check that the solution fulfills the heat equation:
The plot of the solution for different times:
Under an excess of loss reinsurance agreement, a claim is shared between the insurer and reinsurer only if the claim exceeds a fixed amount, called the retention level. Otherwise, the insurer pays the claim in full. Compute the expected value of the amounts and , paid by the insurer and the reinsurer for a retention level of if the claims follow a lognormal distribution with parameters and . Find the expected insurer claim payouts:
Find the expected reinsurer payouts to the insurer:
Properties & Relations (3)
Compose with inverse functions:
Solve a transcendental equation:
Erf appears in special cases of many mathematical functions:
Possible Issues (3)
For large arguments, intermediate values may underflow:
The error function for large real-part arguments can be very close to 1:
Very large arguments can give unevaluated results:
Neat Examples (2)
Plot a clothoid:
A continued fraction whose partial numerators are consecutive integers:
Its limit can be expressed in terms of Erf :
Tech Notes
History
Introduced in 1988 (1.0) | Updated in 2021 (13.0) ▪ 2022 (13.1)
Text
Wolfram Research (1988), Erf, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Erf.html (updated 2022).
CMS
Wolfram Language. 1988. "Erf." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2022. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Erf.html.
APA
Wolfram Language. (1988). Erf. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Erf.html
BibTeX
@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_erf, author="Wolfram Research", title="{Erf}", year="2022", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Erf.html}", note=[Accessed: 05-December-2025]}
BibLaTeX
@online{reference.wolfram_2025_erf, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={Erf}, year={2022}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Erf.html}, note=[Accessed: 05-December-2025]}