[SciPy-Dev] Q-function

Eran Hof eran.hof at gmail.com
Wed Feb 17 04:54:13 EST 2016


Dear scipy devs

If I may suggest, there is an interest in adding a new error function to
the scipy special functions. The Q-function (see please,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q-function). This function is of great
interest and much in use within the communication engineering and error
correcting coding communities.

There is a 1:1 mapping from Q-function to erf function. However, in
engineering, in contrast to statistics, most text book use the Q-function
instead and this is the very first function a new to python engineer will
try to look for.

Also, the implementation is so fast, as Q(x) = 0.5 - 0.5 * erf (x /
sqrt(2)). So why not having this function aboard? It will be used
immediately by every communication engineer that adopts the scipy instead
of Matlab.

Also, inverse is easily implemented as well since Qinv(y) = sqrt(2)
erfinv(1-2y).

I think this small contribution may be of great service.

Your comments are much appreciated. Thanks.
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