MATH 1005A - Notes 1

Reduction of Order
Consider a linear, second-order, homogeneous equation in standard form,

y 00 + p(x)y 0 + q(x)y 0 = 0:

Suppose that one solution y1 is known. Then a second, independent solution y2 is obtained
by letting y2 (x) = u(x)y1 (x); u(x) to be determined.

y2 = uy1 ) y20 = u0 y1 + uy10 ; y 00 = u00 y1 + 2u0 y10 + uy100 ;

so y2 is a solution if and only if

[u00 y1 + 2u0 y10 + uy100 ] + p(x)[u0 y1 + uy10 ] + q(x)[uy1 ] = 0;

i.e.,
u[y100 + p(x)y10 + q(x)y1 ] + u00 y1 + 2u0 y10 + p(x)u0 y1 = 0:
Since y1 is a solution, y100 + p(x)y10 + q(x)y1 = 0. Thus, y2 is a solution if and only if

u00 y1 + u0 [2y10 + p(x)y1 ] = 0;

i.e.,
u00 2y10 + p(x)y1 y10
= ¡ = ¡2 ¡ p(x):
u0 y1 y1
Integration with respect to x then gives
Z
0
ln ju j = ¡2 ln jy1 j ¡ p(x) dx:

¡2 1
Taking the exponential of both sides and using the fact that e¡2 ln jy1 j = eln jy1 j = , we
y12
obtain
1 ¡ R p(x) dx 1 ¡ R p(x) dx
ju0 j = e ; or u0
= § e :
y12 y12
Taking the plus sign and integrating once more, we obtain
Z
1 ¡ R p(x) dx
u(x) = e dx:
y12

Since
1 ¡ R p(x) dx
e 6= 0;
y12
u(x) is not a constant, hence y1 = erx and y2 = u(x)erx are linearly independent.

For the equation ay 00 + by 0 + cy = 0 with b2 ¡ 4ac = 0; y = erx ) ar2 + br + c = 0 )

p
¡b § b2 ¡ 4ac b b
r= =¡ ) y1 = erx = e¡ 2a x :
2a 2a
 2

In standard form, the equation is

b c b
y 00 + y 0 + y = 0; with p(x) = :
a a a
Thus, by reduction of order,
1 ¡ R p(x) dx 1 ¡R b 1 b 1
u0 = e = e a
dx
= e¡ a x = e2rx = 1 ) u(x) = x ) y2 = xerx :
y12 e2rx e2rx e2rx