MATH2048: Mathematics for Engineering & the

Environment
Coursework 1: ODEs
1. Solve the following ordinary differential equations (ODEs)

(a) Find the solution to the following initial value problem

y 00 − 3y 0 − 4y = cos(3x), subject to y(0) = 1, y 0 (0) = 1

A.E. m2 − 3m − 4 = 0 giving m = −1, 4 thus yG = c1 e−x + c2 e4x

P.S. use yP = A cos(3x) + B sin(3x) and find (substitution, algebra)

a = −13/250, B = −9/250.

Taking y = yG + yP find, using the initial conditions,

1
155e−x + 108e4x − 13 cos(3x) − 9 sin(3x)


y=
25
(b) Find the solution to the following Euler-type ODE

x2 y 00 − 3xy 0 − 5y = x5 , subject to, y(0) = 1, y 0 (1) = 0

Hint: try the particular form x5 ln x

Using y = xn , find n(n−1)−3n−5 = n2 −4n−5 = (n−5)(n+1) = 0

and thus
yG = Ax−1 + Bx5

P.S. yP = kx5 ln x and find k = 1/6

Taking y= yG + yP and usingi.c. to give

1 35
y= + 5x5 + 6x5 ln x
36 x
(c) Find the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions for the following boundary
value problem, take care to consider all possible values of λ

y 00 + λy = 0, subject to the boundary conditions

y(0) − y(π) = 0 and y 0 (0) − y 0 (π) = 0

1
 √
Note: m = ± −λ so there are three possible types of solution: (i)
λ = 0: y = mx + c
(ii) λ < 0: so y = Ae−kx + Bekx where k 2 = −λ, or
(iii) λ > 0: so y = A cos(kx) + B sin(kx) where k 2 = λ

using case (i):

m.0 + c − (m.π + c) = m.π = 0 =⇒ m = 0
m−m=0
Therefore, any constant function will satisfy the b.c. when λ = 0 i.e.
y = C where C is constant.

using case (ii):

y(0)−y(π) = A+B−(Ae−kπ +Bekπ ) = A(1−e−kπ )+B(1−ekπ ) = 0
y 0 (0) − y 0 (π) = A(−k) + B(k) − (−kAe−kπ + kBekπ ) = −kA(1 −
e−kπ ) + kB(1 − ekπ ) = 0 Therefore A = −B(1 − ekπ )/(1 − e−kπ ) and
−k −B(1 − ekπ )/(1 − e−kπ ) (1 − e−kπ ) + kB(1 − ekπ ) = 0 which

gives B = 0 and A = 0. Therefore the only solution is the trivial

solution y = 0.

using case (iii):

y(0) − y(π) = A(1 − cos((kπ)) − B sin(kπ) = 0
y 0 (0) − y 0 (π) = Ak sin(kπ) + Bk(1 − cos(kπ)) = 0 If k is odd, there
is just the trivial solution. However, if k is even, both sin(kπ) = 0 and
1 − cos(nπ) = 0 and A and B are free.