111

10

Exp-Function Method

10.1 Introduction
In Chapter 9, we have studied Akbari–Ganji’s Method (AGM), which provides
the algebraic solution of linear and nonlinear differential equations. In the
present chapter we study another straightforward and simple method
called the exp-function method by which one can find the solution
(analytical/semi-analytical) of differential equations. This method was first
proposed by He and Wu [1] and was successfully applied to obtain the solitary
and periodic solutions of nonlinear partial differential equations. Further, this
method was used by many researchers for handling various other equations
like stochastic equations [2], system of partial differential equations [3],
nonlinear evaluation equation of high dimension [4], difference-differential
equation [5], and nonlinear dispersive long-wave equation [6].

10.2 Basics of Exp-Function Method

This method will be illustrated for partial differential equations as ordinary
differential equations are straightforward while solving partial differential
equations. Let us consider a nonlinear partial differential equation
F(u, ux , ut , uxx , uxt , utt , …) = 0 (10.1)
to understand briefly the exp-function method [1, 7–10].
Here, subscripts indicate partial differentiation with respect to indicated vari-
ables in the subscript.
Next, using traveling wave transformation u = u(𝜂), 𝜂 = kx + 𝜔t (where k and
𝜔 are constants) in Eq. (10.1), the partial differential equation may be trans-
formed to a nonlinear ordinary differential equation
F(u, u′ , u′′ , …) = 0 (10.2)
where the prime indicates derivative with respect to 𝜂.

Advanced Numerical and Semi-Analytical Methods for Differential Equations, First Edition.
Snehashish Chakraverty, Nisha Rani Mahato, Perumandla Karunakar, and Tharasi Dilleswar Rao.
© 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Published 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
112 10 Exp-Function Method

The exp-function method is based on the assumption that the solution of

ordinary differential Eq. (10.2) can be expressed as
∑
d
an exp(n𝜂)
n=−c
u(𝜂) = (10.3)
∑ q
bn exp(n𝜂)
n=−p

where c, d, p, and q are positive integers yet to be determined, and an and bn

are unknown constants.
The values of c and p are determined by balancing exp-functions of the linear
term of lowest order in Eq. (10.2) with the lowest-order nonlinear term. Simi-
larly, balancing the exp-functions of highest-order linear term in Eq. (10.2) with
the highest-order nonlinear term, values of d and q can be obtained.
Then, we may obtain an equation in terms of exp(n𝜂) by substituting Eq. (10.3)
along with the above-determined values of c, d, p, and q into Eq. (10.2). Set-
ting all the coefficients of the various powers of exp(n𝜂) to zero lead to a set of
algebraic equations for an , bn , k, and 𝜔.
By solving these algebraic equations, the values of an , bn , k, and 𝜔 may be
found. Further, by incorporating these values into Eq. (10.3), the solution of the
nonlinear PDE (10.1) can be obtained.

10.3 Numerical Examples

We solve now two example problems to make the readers understand the
exp-function method.

Example 10.1 Let us solve nonlinear parabolic PDE from Ref. [11] as below
ut = uxx + u + 𝜆u3 . (10.4)

Solution Using the transformation u = u(𝜂), 𝜂 = kx + 𝜔t in Eq. (10.4), it

reduces to
k 2 u′′ + u + 𝜆u3 − 𝜔u′ = 0 (10.5)
where the prime denotes the differentiation with respect to 𝜂.
We assume the solution of the ordinary differential equation (10.5) as
Eq. (10.3). So, we may assume the solution as
a−c exp(−c𝜂) + · · · + ad exp(d𝜂)
u(𝜂) = (10.6)
b−p exp(−p𝜂) + · · · + bq exp(q𝜂)
The highest-order linear and nonlinear terms in Eq. (10.5) are u′′ and u3 .
 10.3 Numerical Examples 113

Differentiating and simplifying Eq. (10.6) we get

CAN exp[(−3p − c)𝜂] + · · · + CLN exp[(d + 3q)𝜂]
u′′ = (10.7)
CAD exp[(−4p)𝜂] + · · · + CLD exp[(4q)𝜂]
and
DAN exp(−3c𝜂) + · · · + DLN exp(3d𝜂)
u3 = (10.8)
DAD exp(−3p𝜂) + · · · + CLD exp(3q𝜂)
It may be noted that after differentiation and simplification we will get
various terms containing different combinations of a−c , ad , b−p , …, etc. which
for simplicity we assumed as C AN , …, C LN , C AD , …, C LD , DAN , …, DLN , and
DAD , …, DLD .
The lowest-order exp-function term of Eq. (10.8) is
DAN exp[(−3c)𝜂] + · · ·
.
DAD exp[(−3p)𝜂] + · · ·
Multiplying and dividing by exp(−p𝜂), we get
DAN exp[(−p − 3c)𝜂] + · · ·
. (10.9)
DAD exp[(−4p)𝜂] + · · ·
Similarly, the highest-order exp-function term of Eq. (10.8) is
· · · + DLN exp[(3d)𝜂]
.
· · · + DLD exp[(3q)]
Multiplying and dividing by exp(q𝜂), we get
· · · + DLN exp[(3d + q)𝜂]
. (10.10)
· · · + DLN exp[(4q)]
Balancing the lowest-order exp-functions in Eqs. (10.7) and (10.9), we get
−3p − c = −p − 3c
⇒ p = c.
Balancing the highest-order of exp-functions in Eqs. (10.7) and (10.10), we
have
d + 3q = 3d + q
⇒ d = q.
Here, for simplicity, we consider p = c = 1 and d = q = 1 [1, 7–10]. Then, the
trial solution (10.3) takes the form as
a−1 exp(−𝜂) + a0 + a1 exp(𝜂)
u(𝜂) = (10.11)
b−1 exp(−𝜂) + b0 + b1 exp(𝜂)
114 10 Exp-Function Method

For the case b1 ≠ 0, Eq. (10.11) can be simplified further as below

a exp(𝜂) + b + c exp(−𝜂)
u(𝜂) = . (10.12)
exp(𝜂) + d + f exp(−𝜂)
a a a b b
Here, a = b 1 , b = b 0 , c = b−1 , d = b 0 , and f = b 1 are coefficients to be deter-
−1 −1 −1 −1 −1
mined next.
Plugging Eq. (10.12) in ODE (10.5), we have
1[
E exp(−3𝜂) + E−2 exp(−2𝜂) + E−1 exp(−𝜂) + E0 + E1 exp(𝜂)
A −3 ]
+ E2 exp(2𝜂) + E3 exp(3𝜂) = 0 (10.13)
where A = [exp(𝜂) + d + exp(−𝜂)]3 ,
E−3 = 𝜆c3 + cf 2 ,
E−2 = 𝜔cdf − k 2 cdf 2 + bf 2 − 𝜔bf 2 + k 2 bf 2 + 3𝜆bk 2 + 2cdf ,
E−1 = 2cf + cd2 + af 2 + 2bfd + 3𝜆b2 c + 3𝜆ac2 − 4k 2 cf + k 2 cd2 − 2𝜔af 2
+ 2𝜔cf + 𝜔cd2 − 𝜔bfd − k 2 bfd + 4k 2 af 2 ,
E0 = bd2 + 2adf − 6k 2 bf − 3𝜔adf + 3k 2 cd + 3𝜔ad + 2cd + 2bf
+ 3k 2 adf + 6𝜆abc + 𝜆b3 ,
E1 = c + k 2 ad2 − 4k 2 af + 𝜔db − 𝜔ad2 − 2𝜔af − k 2 db + 3𝜆a2 c + 2bd + ad2
+ 4k 2 c + 3𝜆ab2 + 2af + 2𝜔c,
E2 = 3𝜆a2 b + 𝜔b + 2ad + k 2 b − k 2 ad − 𝜔ad + b,
E3 = a + 𝜆a3 .
Equating the coefficients of exp(n𝜂) in Eq. (10.13) to zero, we have the follow-
ing system of equations:

E−3 = 0, E−2 = 0, E−1 = 0, E0 = 0, E1 = 0, E2 = 0 and E3 = 0.

(10.14)
By solving the above system of equations (10.14), we obtain
√ √
−1 3 2
a=± , b = 0, c = 0, d = d, f = 0, 𝜔 = and k = ±
𝜆 2 2
(10.15)

Case (i): For 𝜆 = − 𝜇 where 𝜇 > 0 is an arbitrary constant, Eq. (10.4) becomes
the Newell–Whitehead equation [11]. Then, we have
√ √
1 3 2
a=± , b = 0, c = 0, d = d, f = 0, 𝜔 = and k = ± .
𝜇 2 2
 10.3 Numerical Examples 115

The solution may be written from Eq. (10.12) as

√ [ √ ]
± 𝜇1 exp ± 22 x + 32 t
u(x, t) = [ √ ] (10.16)
exp ± 22 x + 32 t + d

where d is the free parameter.

Case (ii): For 𝜆 = − 1, Eq. (10.4) is referred to as Cahn–Allen equation [11, 12].
Then the constants in Eq. (10.15) are a = ± 1, b = 0, c = 0, d = d, f = 0, 𝜔 = 32 ,
√
and k = ± 22 .
Accordingly, the solution of Eq. (10.4) for free parameter d and 𝜆 = − 1 is
[ √ ]
± exp ± 22 x + 32 t
±1
u(x, t) = [ √ ] = [ √ ] (10.17)
2 3
exp ± 2 x + 2 t + d 1 + d exp ± 22 x + 32 t

The solution (10.16) is the same as the solution given in Refs. [11] and [12]
for d = ± 1.

Example 10.2 Let us now consider classical Burger’s equation [13]

ut = uxx + 𝜆uux . (10.18)

Solution Equation (10.18) may be reduced to ordinary differential equation

in 𝜂 by using the above discussed transformation u = u(𝜂), 𝜂 = kx + 𝜔t as
𝜔u′ − k 2 u′′ − 𝜆kuu′ = 0 (10.19)
where the prime denotes the differentiation with respect to 𝜂.
Next, we assume the solution of the ordinary differential equation (10.19) as
Eq. (10.3). This may be rewritten as
a−c exp(−c𝜂) + · · · + ad exp(d𝜂)
u(𝜂) = (10.20)
b−p exp(−p𝜂) + · · · + bq exp(q𝜂)
The highest-order linear and nonlinear terms in Eq. (10.19) are u′′ and uu′ .
By differentiating and simplifying Eq. (10.20), we get
CAN exp[(−3p − c)𝜂] + · · · + CLN exp[(d + 3q)𝜂]
u′′ = (10.21)
CAD exp[(−4p)𝜂] + · · · + CLD exp[(4q)𝜂]
and
DAN exp[(−p − 2c)𝜂] + · · · + DLN exp[(2d + q)𝜂]
uu′ = (10.22)
DAD exp[(−3p)𝜂] + · · · + DLD exp[(3q)𝜂]
116 10 Exp-Function Method

Again, as mentioned in Example 10.1, after differentiation and simplification

we will get various terms containing different combinations of a−c , ad , b−p , …,
etc. which for simplicity, we assumed as C AN , …, C LN , C AD , …, C LD , DAN , …,
DLN , and DAD , …, DLD .
The lowest-order exp-function term of Eq. (10.8) is
DAN exp[(−p − 2c)𝜂] + · · ·
.
DAD exp[(−3p)𝜂] + · · ·
Multiplying and dividing by exp(−p𝜂), we get
DAN exp[(−2p − 2c)𝜂] + · · ·
(10.23)
DAD exp[(−4p)𝜂] + · · ·
Similarly, the highest order exp-function term of Eq. (10.8) is
· · · + DLN exp[(2d + q)𝜂]
.
· · · + DLD exp[(3q)]
Multiplying and dividing by exp(q𝜂), we get
· · · + DLN exp[(2d + 2q)𝜂]
. (10.24)
· · · + DLD exp[(4q)]
Next, we balance the lowest-order exp-functions in Eqs. (10.21) and (10.23)
to have relation between p and c as below
−3p − c = −2p − 2c
⇒ p = c.
Similarly, we balance the highest-order exp-functions in Eqs. (10.21) and
(10.24) and we have
d + 3q = 2d + 2q
⇒ d = q.
Here, for simplicity, we consider p = c = 1 and d = q = 1. Then the trial solution
(10.3) takes the form
a−1 exp(−𝜂) + a0 + a1 exp(𝜂)
u(𝜂) = . (10.25)
b−1 exp(−𝜂) + b0 + b1 exp(𝜂)
For the case b1 ≠ 0, Eq. (10.25) can be simplified as below
a exp(𝜂) + b + c exp(−𝜂)
u(𝜂) = (10.26)
exp(𝜂) + d + f exp(−𝜂)
where a, b, c, d, and f are coefficients as explained in Example 10.1, which are
to be determined next.
 References 117

Plugging Eq. (10.26) in the ordinary differential equation (10.19) and simpli-
fying, we get
1[ ]
E exp(−2𝜂) + E−1 exp(−𝜂) + E0 + E1 exp(𝜂) + E2 exp(2𝜂) = 0 (10.27)
A −2
where A = [exp(𝜂) + d + exp(−𝜂)]3 ,
E−2 = − 𝜆kcfb − 𝜔cdf + 𝜆kc2 d + 𝜔f 2 b − k 2 f 2 b + k 2 cdf ,
E−1 = − 2𝜆kcfa − 𝜆kfb2 + 𝜆kbdc + k 2 dbf − k 2 cd2 + 2𝜆kc2 − 2𝜔cf
− 4k 2 af 2 − 𝜔cd2 + 4k 2 cf + 2𝜔af 2 + 𝜔dbf,
E0 = 6k 2 bf − 3𝜔cd − 3k 2 cd + 3𝜆kbc + 3𝜔adf − 3k 2 adf − 3𝜆kafb,
E1 = − 𝜔db + 2𝜆kac − 2𝜆ka2 f − 2𝜔c − 4k 2 c + k 2 db + 𝜆kb2 + 𝜔ad2
− k 2 ad2 + 4k 2 af + 2𝜔af − 𝜆kbda,
E2 = − 𝜆ka2 d − 𝜔b − k 2 b + 𝜔ad + 𝜆kab + k 2 ad.
Equating the coefficients of exp(n𝜂) in Eq. (10.27) to zero, we have
E−2 = 0, E−1 = 0, E0 = 0, E1 = 0 and E2 = 0. (10.28)
By solving the above system of equations (10.28), we obtain a = a, b = 0,
f (−4k+𝜆a)
c= 𝜆
, d = 0, f = f , k = k, and 𝜔 = 𝜆ka − 2k 2 .
By substituting the above obtained values of b, c, d, and 𝜔 in Eq. (10.26), we
get the final solution as
[ ]
1 a𝜆 exp(kx + (𝜆ka − 2k 2 )t) + f (−4k + 𝜆a) exp(−kx − (𝜆ka − 2k 2 )t)
u(x, t) =
𝜆 exp(kx + (𝜆ka − 2k 2 )t) + f exp(−kx − (𝜆ka − 2k 2 )t)
where a, f , and k are free parameters which may be found from initial and
boundary conditions.

Exercise
𝜕u
1 Solve the KdV equation 𝜕t
+ u 𝜕u
𝜕x
+ 𝜕3 u
𝜕x3
= 0 using the exp-function method.

𝜕u
2 Solve the modified KdV equation 𝜕t
+ u2 𝜕u
𝜕x
+ 𝜕3 u
𝜕x3
= 0 using the exp-
function method.

References
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equations. Chaos, Solitons and Fractals 30 (3): 700–708.
2 Dai, C.Q. and Zhang, J.F. (2009). Application of He’s exp-function method
to the stochastic mKdV equation. International Journal of Nonlinear Sci-
ences and Numerical Simulation 10 (5): 675–680.
118 10 Exp-Function Method

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Wilson equation using the exp-function method. Applied Mathematics and
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