MATH 263: ORDINARY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS FOR

ENGINEERS, SUMMER 2015

1. Problem Set 1

Here are some practice problems related to the lectures. All problems are either from the
textbook “Elementary differential equations and boundary problems,” by W.B. Boyce and
R.C. DiPrima, 10th Edition, or are similar to ones that can be found there.
√
(1) Prove that t sin−1 t + 1 − t2 is a solution of the differential equation x00 = √1−t 1
2.

Find the common interval for which the solution and differential equation makes
sense.
(2) Solve each of the following differential equations:
(a) y 0 = x2 /y
(b) y 0 = x2 /y(1 + x3 )
(c) y 0 + y 2 sin x = 0
(d) y 0 = (3x2 − 1)/(3 + 2y).
(3) (See 2.1.13-2.20 for instance.) Solve each of the following initial value problems:
(a) y 0 − y = 2te2t , y(0) = 1
(b) y 0 + 2y = te−2t , y(1) = 0
(c) ty 0 + 2y = t2 − t + 1, y(1) = 1/2, t > 0
(d) y 0 + (2/t)y = (cos t)/t2 , y(π) = 0, t > 0
(e) y 0 − 2y = e2t , y(0) = 2.
(4) Construct the slope fields for the differential equations x0 = 3x + t, x0 = 3x − t. Then
sketch the solution curve corresponding to the initial condition x(0) = 3.
(5) (See for example 1.2.7.) Suppose that the differential equation dp/dt = 0.25p − 350
describes a population as a function of time t, where we assume that t is measured
in months.
(a) Find the time at which the population becomes extinct if p(0) = 750.
(b) Find the extinction time if p(0) = p0 , where 0 < p0 < 1400.
(c) Find the initial population p0 if the population will be extinct in 2 years.
(6) (See 1.1.23 for instance.) Newtons law of cooling states that the temperature of an
object changes at a rate proportional to the difference between the temperature of the
object itself and the temperature of its surroundings (the ambient air temperature
in most cases). Suppose that the ambient temperature is 70◦ F and that the rate
constant is 0.05 (min)−1 . Write a differential equation for the temperature of the
object at any time. Note that the differential equation is the same whether the
temperature of the object is above or below the ambient temperature.
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2 MATH 263: ORDINARY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS FOR ENGINEERS, SUMMER 2015

(7) (See 1.2.15 for instance.) Suppose that u(t) denotes the temperature of a mug of
coffee sitting in a room at time t. Assume also that the ambient room temperature
is constant.
(a) Find the temperature of the object, as a function of the mug constant k, at time
t.
(b) Suppose that s is the time at which the given initial temperature is reduced by
a quarter. How are s and k related?
(8) (See 2.3.7 and 2.3.8 for instance.) Suppose that an amount of S0 dollars is invested
at an annual rate of return r compounded continuously.
(a) When will, as a function of r, the original amount S0 double in value?
(b) If r = 4% then when will the original amount S0 double in value?
(c) If the original amount S0 is to double in 10 years, then what must the rate r
equal?
(d) If the original amount is to reach one million dollars in 35 years then what must
the rate r equal?
(9) (See 2.3.9 for instance.) A college graduate borrows $10000 to buy a car. The lender
charges interest at an annual rate of 8%.
(a) Assuming that the interest is compounded continuously and that the borrower
makes payments continuously at a constant rate k, determine the payment rate
k that is required to pay off the loan in 4 years.
(b) Determine how much interest is paid during the 4-year period.
(10) (See 2.3.10 for instance.) A home buyer can afford to spend $1500 a month on
mortgage payments. Suppose that the interest rate is 3%, that interest is compounded
continuously, and that payments are made continuously.
(a) Determine the maximum amount that this buyer can afford to borrow on a
20-year mortgage and on a 30-year mortgage.
(b) Determine the total interest paid during the term of the mortgage in each of the
two cases above.
(11) Suppose that you would like to make five hundred thousand dollars. To do so you
plan on investing k dollars per month for 20 years. Assuming that your annual rate
of return is six percent compounded continuously, how much must you invest each
month?