I'm exploring the convolution of a rectangle function scaled by a factor of $\displaystyle{n}$ with a Gaussian function/standard normal distribution of varying parameters (example 1, 2, 3) using Wolfram Alpha. Unfortunately, Wolfram Alpha seems to return inconsistent results:
vs.
Wolfram Alpha confirms mathematically equivalent inputs, i.e. a scaled unit box function as the first function and a Gaussian function/standard normal distribution as the second function. However, the output is different - note the different power of $\displaystyle{n}$:
$\displaystyle\frac{1}{{2}}{n}^{2}{\left({e}{r} f{{\left(\frac{{\mu-{y}+\frac{1}{{2}}}}{{\sqrt{{{2}}}\sigma}}\right)}}-{e}{r} f{{\left(\frac{{\mu-{y}-\frac{1}{{2}}}}{{\sqrt{{{2}}}\sigma}}\right)}}\right)}$
vs.
$\displaystyle\frac{1}{{2}}{n}\sqrt{{\pi}}{\left({e}{r} f{{\left(\frac{1}{{2}}-{y}\right)}}+{e}{r} f{{\left({y}+\frac{1}{{2}}\right)}}\right)}$
How is this possible?
The question was how a constant scaling of the rectangle function effects the convolution. My expectation was a constant scaling of the convolved function, i.e. result 2, but Wolfram Alpha gives a quadratic scaling in result 1.
As others have said these are not "the same calculation". The Gaussian is the integral of $e^{-x^2}$, not $e^{-x^2}$ itself.