Chapter 9: Special Functions

erfc

Evaluates the real complementary error function erfc(x).

Synopsis

#include <imsl.h>

float imsl_f_erfc (float x)

The type double procedure is imsl_d_erfc.

Required Arguments

float x   (Input)
Point at which the complementary error function is to be evaluated.

Return Value

The value of the complementary error function erfc(x).

Description

The complementary error function erfc(x) is defined to be

The argument x must not be so large that the result underflows. Approximately,
x should be less than

where s is the smallest representable floating-point number.

Figure 9- 2   Plot of erfc(x)

Example

Evaluate the error function at x = 1/2.

#include <imsl.h>

main()
{
    float       x = 0.5;
    float       ans;

    ans = imsl_f_erfc(x);
    printf("erfc(%f) = %f\n", x, ans);
}

Output

erfc(0.500000) = 0.479500

Alert Errors

IMSL_LARGE_ARG_UNDERFLOW                The argument x is so large that the result underflows.


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