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When a mathematician "normalizes" any function involving probability, it means she multiplies the function by the number necessary for the grand total probability of SOMETHING happening to be 1. If y is a function of x, such that y is the probability of something happening if x is equal to a value, and x can range from any value from -∞ to ∞; then we know that

ʃ f(x)dx,

where x ranges from -∞ to ∞

MUST be equal to 1.

That's because SOMETHING has to happen over all the values of x.

For example, if

f(x) = e^(-x^2/2)

then

ʃ f(x)dx over that range would √2ᴨ

To "normalize" that probability function would require that she multiply the original function by 1/√2ᴨ, so that the probability of the integral of y over all ranges of x -- the probability of SOMETHING happening -- would be 1.

If ɸ(x) is the quantum wave function of a particle at position x, then we know that, over the entire range of x from -∞ to ∞,

ʃ ɸ(x)*ɸ(x)dx MUST be equal to 1.

That's because the particle must be SOMEWHERE.

Depending on what ɸ(x) is, the mathematician would have to multiply the integral by some value in order for the integral over all possible values of x to be equal to one.

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