Solutions to Homework 3

Section 3.4, Repeated Roots; Reduction of Order

 Q 1). Find the general solution to y 00 2y 0 + y = 0.

Answer: The characteristic equation is:

r2 2r + 1 = 0,

solving it we get r = 1 as a repeated root, so the general solution is given by

y(t) = c1 et + c2 tet .

 Q 2). Find the general solution to 9y 00 + 6y 0 + y = 0

Answer: The characteristic equation is:

9r2 + 6r + 1 = 0,

solving it we get r = 1/3 as a repeated root, so the general solution is given by

y(t) = c1 et/3 + c2 tet/3 .

 Q 8). Find the general solution to 16y 00 + 24y 0 + 9y = 0

Answer: The characteristic equation is:

16r2 + 24r + 9 = 0,

solving it we get r = 3/4 as a repeated root, so the general solution is given by

y(t) = c1 e3t/4 + c2 te3t/4

 Q 11). Solve for the given initial value problem 9y 00 12y 0 + 4y = 0 with y(0) = 2 and y 0 (0) = 1, and
sketch the graph of the solution and describe its behavior of increasing t.
Answer: The characteristic equation is:

9r2 12r + 4 = 0,

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 solving it we get r = 2/3 as a repeated root, so the general solution is given by

y(t) = c1 e2t/3 + c2 te2t/3 .

So
y 0 (t) = (2c1 /3 + c2 + 2tc2 /3)e2t/3 .
Putting in the initial condition we get

y(0) = c1 = 2, y 0 (0) = 2c1 /3 + c2 = 1.

Solving it we get c1 = 2 and c2 = 7/3, hence the solution is

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y(t) = 2e2t/3 te2t/3 .
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To see the graph of the solution, one can type the following commands in MATLAB:
 syms t;
 ezplot(0 2 exp(2 t/3) 7/3 t exp(2 t/3)0 );
The solution y(t) when t .

 Q 12). Solve for the given initial value problem y 00 6y 0 + 9y = 0 with y(0) = 0 and y 0 (0) = 2, and
sketch the graph of the solution and describe its behavior of increasing t.
Answer: The characteristic equation is:

r2 6r + 9 = 0,

solving it we get r = 3 as a repeated root, so the general solution is given by

y(t) = c1 e3t + c2 te3t .

So
y 0 (t) = (3c1 + c2 + 3tc2 )e3t .
Putting in the initial condition we get

y(0) = c1 = 0, y 0 (0) = 3c1 + c2 = 2.

Solving it we get c1 = 0 and c2 = 2, hence the solution is

y(t) = 2te3t .

To see the graph of the solution, one can type the following commands in MATLAB:
 syms t;
 ezplot(0 2 t exp(3 t)0 );
The solution y(t) when t .

 Q 14). Solve for the given initial value problem y 00 + 4y 0 + 4y = 0 with y(1) = 2 and y 0 (1) = 1, and
sketch the graph of the solution and describe its behavior of increasing t.

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 Answer: The characteristic equation is:

r2 + 4r + 4 = 0,

solving it we get r = 2 as a repeated root, so the general solution is given by

y(t) = c1 e2t + c2 te2t .

So
y 0 (t) = (2c1 + c2 2tc2 )e2t .
Putting in the initial condition we get

y(0) = c1 e2 c2 e2 = 2, y 0 (1) = (2c1 + c2 + 2c2 )e2 = 1.

Solving it we get c1 = 7e2 and c2 = 5e2 , hence the solution is

y(t) = 7e22t + 5te22t .

To see the graph of the solution, one can type the following commands in MATLAB:
 syms t;
 ezplot(0 7 exp(2 2 t) + 5 t exp(2 2 t)0 );
The solution y(t) first increase, then decrease, and y(t) when t .

 Q 23). Use the method of reduction to find a second solution: t2 y 00 4ty 0 + 6y = 0, y > 0; y1 (t) = t2 .
Answer: Assume y2 (t) = v(t)y1 (t), then

y20 (t) = v 0 (t)y1 (t) + v(t)y10 (t) = v 0 (t)t2 + 2tv(t),

and
y200 (t) = v 00 (t)t2 + 2tv 0 (t) + 2v(t) + 2tv 0 (t) = v 00 (t)t2 + 4tv 0 (t) + 2v(t).
Insert y20 , y200 and y2 back into the ODE, we get

t2 (v 00 (t)t2 + 4tv 0 (t) + 2v(t)) 4t(v 0 (t)t2 + 2tv(t)) + 6v(t)t2 = 0,

that is
t4 v 00 (t) = 0.
Thus we have
v 00 (t) = 0.
Let u = v 0 , we have u0 (t) = 0, so u(t) = C1 . Thus,

v 0 = u = C1 ,

solving it, we get

v(t) = C1 t + C2 .
Now take C1 = 1 and C2 = 0, we get v(t) = t, and

y2 (t) = v(t)y1 (t) = t3

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  Q 25). Use the method of reduction to find a second solution: t2 y 00 + 3ty 0 + y = 0, y > 0; y1 (t) = t1 .
Answer: Assume y2 (t) = v(t)y1 (t), then

y20 (t) = v 0 (t)y1 (t) + v(t)y10 (t) = v 0 (t)t1 v(t)t2 ,

and

y200 (t) = v 00 (t)t1 v 0 (t)t2 v 0 (t)t2 + 2v(t)t3 = v 00 (t)t1 2v 0 (t)t2 + 2v(t)t3 .

Insert y20 , y200 and y2 back into the ODE, we get

t2 (v 00 (t)t1 2v 0 (t)t2 + 2v(t)t3 ) + 3t(v 0 (t)t1 v(t)t2 ) + v(t)t1 = 0,

that is
tv 00 (t) + v 0 (t) = 0.
Let u = v 0 , we have tu0 (t) + u(t) = 0, By separation of variables, u(t) = C1 /t. Thus,

v 0 = u = C1 /t,

solving it, we get

v(t) = C1 ln(t) + C2 .
Now take C1 = 1 and C2 = 0, we get v(t) = ln(t), and

y2 (t) = v(t)y1 (t) = t1 ln(t)

Section 3.5, Nonhomogeneous Equations; Method of Undetermined Coefficients

 Q 1). Find the general solution to y 00 2y 0 3y = 3e2t .

Answer: The characteristic equation to the homogeneous ODE

y 00 2y 0 3y = 0 (H)

is
r2 2r 3 = 0,
with roots r1 = 3 and r2 = 1. So the general solution to (H) is

yh (t) = c1 e3t + c2 et .

Now for the Nonhomogeneous equation

y 00 2y 0 3y = 3e2t (N ),

we guess a particular solution

yp (t) = Ae2t ,

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 then
yp0 (t) = 2Ae2t , yp00 = 4Ae2t .
Hence, putting yp , yp0 and yp00 back into (N ), we get

4Ae2t 2 2Ae2t 3Ae2t = 3e2t .

This gives us an algebraic equation 3A = 3. Solving for A gives us A = 1. So the general

solution to (N ) is
y(t) = c1 e3t + c2 et e2t .

 Q 6). Find the general solution to y 00 + 2y 0 = 3 + 4 sin(2t).

Answer: The characteristic equation to the homogeneous ODE

y 00 + 2y 0 = 0 (H)

is
r2 + 2r = 0,
with roots r1 = 2 and r2 = 0. So the general solution to (H) is

yh (t) = c1 e2t + c2 .

Now for the Nonhomogeneous equation

y 00 + 2y 0 = 3 + 4 sin(2t) (N ),

we guess a particular solution

yp (t) = At + B1 sin(2t) + B2 cos(2t),

then
yp0 (t) = A + 2B1 cos(2t) 2B2 sin(2t),
yp00 = 4B1 sin(2t) 4B2 cos(2t).
Hence, putting yp , yp0 and yp00 back into (N ), we get

4B1 sin(2t) 4B2 cos(2t) + 2(A + 2B1 cos(2t) 2B2 sin(2t)) = 3 + 4 sin(2t).

This gives us an three algebraic equations

2A = 3,

4B1 4B2 = 4,
4B2 + 4B1 = 0.
Solving them gives us
3 1
A= B1 = B2 = .
2 2

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 So the general solution to (N ) is
3t 1 1
y(t) = c1 e2t + c2 + sin(2t) cos(2t).
2 2 2

 Q 8). Find the general solution to y 00 + 2y 0 + y = 2et .

Answer: The characteristic equation to the homogeneous ODE

y 00 + 2y 0 + y = 0 (H)

is
r2 + 2r + 1 = 0,
with repeated roots r = 1. So the general solution to (H) is

yh (t) = c1 et + c2 tet .

Now for the Nonhomogeneous equation

y 00 + 2y 0 + y = 2et (N ),

we guess a particular solution

yp (t) = At2 et ,
then
yp0 (t) = (2At At2 )et ,
yp00 = (2A 2At 2At + At2 )et .
Hence, putting yp , yp0 and yp00 back into (N ), we get

(2A 2At 2At + At2 )et + 2(2At At2 )et + At2 et = 2et .

Simplify it, we get

2Aet = 2et .
This gives us an three algebraic equations 2A = 2. Solving them gives us A = 1. So the general
solution to (N ) is
y(t) = (c1 + c2 t + t2 )et .

 Q 9). Find the general solution to 2y 00 + 3y 0 + y = t2 + 3 sin t.

Answer: The characteristic equation to the homogeneous ODE

2y 00 + 3y 0 + y = 0 (H)

is
2r2 + 3r + 1 = 0,

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 with roots r1 = 1 and r2 = 1/2. So the general solution to (H) is

yh (t) = c1 et + c2 et/2 .

Now for the Nonhomogeneous equation

2y 00 + 3y 0 + y = t2 + 3 sin t (N ),

we guess a particular solution

yp (t) = A1 t2 + A2 t + A3 + B1 sin t + B2 cos t,

then
yp0 (t) = 2A1 t + A2 + B1 cos t B2 sin t,
yp00 = 2A1 B1 sin t B2 cos t.
Hence, putting yp , yp0 and yp00 back into (N ), we get

2(2A1 B1 sin t B2 cos t) + 3(2A1 t + A2 + B1 cos t B2 sin t)

+A1 t2 + A2 t + A3 + B1 sin t + B2 cos t = t2 + 3 sin t.

This gives us algebraic equations
A1 = 1,
6A1 + A2 = 0,
4A1 + 3A2 + A3 = 0,
2B1 3B2 + B1 = 3,
2B2 + 3B1 + B2 = 0.
Solving them gives us
A1 = 1, A2 = 6, A3 = 14,
3 9
B1 = , B2 = .
10 10
So the general solution to (N ) is
3 9
y(t) = c1 et + c2 et/2 + t2 6t + 14 sin t cos t.
10 10

 Q 16). Solve the initial value problem y 00 + 4y = t2 + 3et , with y(0) = 0 and y 0 (0) = 2.
Answer: The characteristic equation to the homogeneous ODE

y 00 + 4y = 0 (H)

is
r2 + 4 = 0,

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with complex roots r = 2i. So the general solution to (H) is
yh (t) = c1 sin(2t) + c2 cos(2t).

Now for the Nonhomogeneous equation

y 00 + 4y = t2 + 3et (N ),
we guess a particular solution
yp (t) = A1 t2 + A2 t + A3 + Bet ,
then
yp0 (t) = 2A1 t + A2 + Bet ,
yp00 = 2A1 + Bet .
Hence, putting yp , yp0 and yp00 back into (N ), we get

2A1 + Bet + 4(A1 t2 + A2 t + A3 + Bet ) = t2 + 3et

This gives us algebraic equations
4A1 = 1,
4A2 = 0,
2A1 + 4A3 = 0,
B + 4B = 3.
Solving them gives us
1 1
A1 = , A2 = 0, A3 = ,
4 8
3
B2 = .
5
So the general solution to (N ) is
t2 1 3et
y(t) = c1 sin(2t) + c2 cos(2t) + + .
4 8 5

Hence
t 3et
y 0 (t) = 2c1 cos(2t) 2c2 sin(2t) + + .
2 5
With the initial conditions y(0) = 0 and y 0 (0) = 2, we have
1 3
y(0) = c2 + = 0,
8 5
3
y 0 (0) = 2c1 + = 2.
5
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Solving for c1 and c2 , we get c1 = 10 , c2 = 1940 , so the solution is
7 19 t2 1 3et
y(t) = sin(2t) cos(2t) + + .
10 40 4 8 5

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 Q 17). Solve the initial value problem y 00 2y 0 + y = tet + 4, with y(0) = 1 and y 0 (0) = 1.
Answer: The characteristic equation to the homogeneous ODE
y 00 2y 0 + y = 0 (H)
is
r2 + 2r + 1 = 0,
with repeated roots r = 1. So the general solution to (H) is
yh (t) = c1 et + c2 tet .

Now for the Nonhomogeneous equation

y 00 2y 0 + y = tet + 4 (N ),
we guess a particular solution
yp (t) = At3 et + B,
then
yp0 (t) = (3At2 + At3 )et ,
yp00 = (3At2 + At3 + 3At2 + 6At)et .
Hence, putting yp , yp0 and yp00 back into (N ), we get

(3At2 + At3 + 3At2 + 6At)et 2(3At2 + At3 )et + At3 et + B = tet + 4.

This gives us algebraic equations
6A = 1,
B = 4.
Solving them gives us
1
A= , B = 4.
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So the general solution to (N ) is
1
y(t) = (c1 + c2 t + t3 )et + 4.
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We have
1 1
y 0 (t) = (c1 + c2 t + t3 + c2 + t2 )et .
6 2
So the initial conditions y(0) = 1 and y 0 (0) = 1 gives us
c1 + 4 = 1,
c1 + c2 = 1.
Solving for it we get
c1 = 3, c2 = 4.
So the solution to the I.V.P is
1
y(t) = (3 + 4t + t3 )et + 4.
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