Problem Set (Solving DE's Using Power Series)

1.

If / "

B#8"
If 0 aBb "
find 0 w aBb
#8 "x
8"

3.

If

4.

_
B8
B8"
Write "
"8
using just one summation.
8x
a
8

"
b
x
8!
8"

B8
#
, what is a power series expansion for /B ?
8x
8!
_

"
" B B# B$ find a power series for
"B
B

" B$
_

5.

Find the first 3 nonzero terms in the power series expansion

about B ! for the solution to Cw B# C# Ca!b "

6.

Find the first 3 nonzero terms in the power series expansion for
the solution to Cw =38 C /B C a!b !

7.

Find the first four nonzero terms in the power series

expansion for the general solution to Cw aB #bC !
Note that the general solution will involve a constant.

Solutions

1.

2.

_
_
B8
B#8
aB# b
#
B
If / "
then / "
"

8x
8x
8x
8!
8!
8!
8

_
B#8"
#8 " #8#
w
If 0 aBb "
then 0 aBb "
B
=
a
b
#8

"x
#8

"
x
8"
8"
_

_
/#8#
/#a8"b
"
"
.
a
#8

#
b
x
c
#
a
8

"
b
d
x
8"
8"
_

Better yet, we can replace 8 " by 3 to get simply "

3.

/#3

a
#3
b
x
3!

"
" B B# B$
"B
"

" B$
#
" aB$ b aB$ b " B$ B'

B
B" B$ B' B B% B(
$
"B

4.

B8"
Rewrite "8
by replacing 8 " by 3
a
8

"
b
x
8"
_

If 3 8 " then 8 3 " and when 8 " 3 !

Therefore "8
_

8"

_
B8"
B3
"
can be replaced by
a3 "b
a8 "bx
3x
30

B8
or using 8 rather than 3 "a8 "b
8x
8!
_

_
B8
B8"
Finally, "
"8

8x
a
8

"
b
x
8!
8"
_

_
_
B8
B8
B8
B8
"
"a8 "b
"
8 "
8x
8x
8x
8x
8!
8!
8!
_

_ 8#
"
8" 8
"
B8
B "
8x
8x
8x
8!
8!
_

5.

In general, using just 3 terms of the power series,

0 aBb 0 a!b 0 w a!bB

0 ww a!b #
B
#

In this problem, Cw 0 w aBb B# C# and Cw a!b 0 a!b "

This means, since Cw B# C# , that Cw a!b "
Cww #B #CCw # ! # a"ba"b #
#B#
Therefore 0 aBb " B
" B B#
#
6.

Ca!b !

constant term is 0.

Cw =38C /B C w a!b =38 ! /! ! " "

.
=38 C -9= C C w
.B
w
B
C =38 C / and C a!b ! C ww -9= C C w /B
Cww a!b -9= ! a"b /! " " " #
Before we get Cww remember that

Similarly Cww -9= C Cw /B Cw a!b " and Cww a!b #

Note: use product law)
a$b
C =38 C C w C w -9= C C ww /B
Ca$b a!b =38 ! " " -9= ! # /!
# " $

"
#
$
Therefore 0 aBb B B# B$ B B# B$
#
'
#

7.

Using % terms, the general solution to Cw aB #b looks

like 0 aBb +! +" B +# B# +$ B$
Therefore 0 w aBb +" #+# B $+$ B# and
Cw aB #bC

+" #+# B $+$ B# aB #ba+! +" B +# B# +$ B$ b

+" #+# B $+$ B#
+ ! B + " B# + # B$ + $ B%
#+! #+" B #+# B# #+$ B$

a#+! +" b a+! #+" #+# bB a+" #+# $+$ bB#

a+# #+$ bB$ o we ignore the B% term
Since Cw aB #bC ! then all the coefficients must
be 0 and

#+! +" ! +" #+! where +! is an arbitrary

constant.
+! #+"
+! #+" #+# ! +#

#
$+!
+! #a #+! b
+! %+!

#
#
#
+" #+# $+$ ! +$
#+! #

$+!

+" #+#

#+! $+!

$
$
"
+!
$
Therefore, using four terms, the general solution is
$
"
0 aBb +! #+! B +! B# +! B$
#
$
$ #
"
+! " #B B B$
#
$