Chapter 12, Problem 12.41E

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

Whether the given unnormalized functions can be used in a variation theory treatment of a particle-in-a-box having length $a$ or not is to be predicted.

Concept Introduction:

According to the variation theory, the lower the energy of a system the better is the approximation. Variation theory is based on the fact that any test system has average energy equal to greater than the ground state energy of that system. The advantage of the variation theory is that any wavefunction can be taken for any test system.