Power Series Solutions

An infinite series of the form



 n
a
n 0
x n
a0  a1 x  a2 x 2
 ... (1)

is called a Power Series in x.


The series  n
a
n 0
( x  x0 ) n
a0  a1 ( x  x0 )  a2 ( x  x0 ) 2
 ... (2)

is a Power Series in ( x  x0 )
Power series expansions of some known fun’s
Example:
Let the Differential Eqn. y '' y  0

The solution of the D.E. is y  C1 sin x  C2 cos x

x3 x5 x7
Here, y1  sin x  x     ........
3! 5! 7!
x2 x4 x6
y2  cos x 1     ........
2! 4! 6!

These are the Power Series Solution form of the given D.E.
 Ordinary, Singular & Regular Singular Points
Consider the Linear homogeneous second order ODE
d2y dy
2
 P ( x )  Q( x) y  0 (1)
dx dx

 If P(x) and Q(x) exist (finite) as x  a , then x  a is called an

ordinary point.
 If either P(x) or Q(x) does not exist as x  a , then x  a is called
an singular point.

Note: But, if (x-a)P(x) and (x-a)2Q(x) exist (finite) as x  a, then the

x  a singular point called regular singular point.
Example1: (1  x )
2 d2y
 2 x
dy
 p ( p  1) y  0 (1)
2
dx dx
Eq. (1) can be written as d 2
y 2 x dy p ( p  1)
  y0
dx 2
(1  x ) dx (1  x )
2 2

2 x p ( p  1)
where P( x)  and Q( x) 
(1  x 2 ) (1  x 2 )

lim P( x)  0 finite
x 0
Then lim Q( x)  p ( p  1) finite
x 0

It means x=0 is an ordinary point for the given DE (1).

Ex2: We are taking same example as

d2y 2 x dy p ( p  1)
  y0
dx 2
(1  x ) dx (1  x )
2 2

2 x p ( p  1)
where, P( x)  and Q ( x ) 
(1  x 2 ) (1  x 2 )
lim P ( x)  does not exist
x 1

lim Q( x)  does not exist

x 1

Here x  1 are singular points for the given DE

We can also observe that lim( x  a ) P ( x)  exists (finite)
x a

lim( x  a ) 2 Q( x)  exists (finite)

x a

2 x 2x
lim( x  1)  lim  1 exists (finite)
x 1 (1  x )
2 x 1 (1  x)
p ( p  1) p ( p  1)
lim( x  1) 2 =  lim( x  1) = 0 exists (finite)
x 1 (1  x )
2 x 1 (1  x)

Similarly we can check for x= --1, that lim ( x  1) P ( x)  exists

x  1

lim ( x  1) 2 Q( x)  exists
x 1

It means that x  1 are regular singular points for DE