162 BELL SYSTEM TECHNICAL JOURNAL 



or 



1 /•« 



}i{t)e-p^dt pit > 



_L- r* 



V^ Jo 



More broadly stated, the operational equation is the shorthand state- 

 ment of true equations in which p has lost its original significance and 

 is simply the complex argument of functions which obey all the laws of 

 algebra and analysis. 



Failure to recognize these simple principles is responsible for a large 

 amount of confusion, loose reasoning and profitless discussion of so 

 called 'fractional differentiation,' a term which, to the writer at least, 

 is quite meaningless. On the other hand, their recognition should go 

 far towards removing whatever mystery may have surrounded the 

 Heaviside operator and the Heaviside processes. 



