Variation of Parameters Method for Higher-Order Equations The method of the variation of parameters just examined for second-order differential equations can be generalized for an nth-order equation of the type. a™ qu ly tay te aT oe. +4 Ds apy ex) ‘The application of the method to n** order differential equations consists of performing the following steps. Step 1 To find the complementary fimction we salve the associated homogeneous equation aft ay, d™ty tae Step 2 Suppose that the complementary function for the equation is Vey tend) +--4OnIn ‘Then yy.¥3.....¥q Gre n linearly independent solutions of the homogeneous equation. ‘Therefore, we compute Wronskian of these solutions. Mo M2 Mn re ayy. +a Baye 0 WWM Pa) = 8 ye _ 7m ‘Step 4 We write the differential equation in the form DPR a(x) yO +4 B(x) +R y= f(x) and compute the determinants W, ; k =1,2,....1; by replacing the kth column of W by 0 0 the column f@)Step 5 Next we find the derivatives u},u},....uy of the unknown fimctions 1.19, through the relations uy TE, kel2..m Note that these derivatives cam be found by solving the n equations vy + Vey HH Vay = 0 Vie + YR oe atl " ° + yl Ty = FC) Step 6 Integrate the dervative functions computed in the step 5 to find the functions 1, Dag + 9A + pn [Tea eA Step 7 We write a particular solution of the given non-homogeneous equation as Mp = (x) (x) +m (x) 9 (2) +--+, (2) y, (2) ‘Step 8 Having found the complementary function y_ and the particular integraly ». we write the general solution by substitution in the expression Yr¥ot Vy Note that a Ihe first n—1equations in step 5 are assumptions made to simplify the first n—lderivatives of yp. The last equation in the system results from substituting the particular integral yy and its derivatives into the given nth order linear differential equation and then stmplifiing. 2 Depending upon how the mtegrals of the derivatives uj, of the unknown fimctions are found, the answer for y , may be different for different attempts to find yy for the same equation. 2 When asked to solve an initial value problem, we need to be sure to apply the initial conditions ta the general solution and not to the complementary function alone, thinking that it is only y., that involves the arbitrary constants.Example I Solve the differential equation by variation of parameters. 3 GY Do ccx ao dx Solution Step I: The associated homogeneous equation is dy dy — + =-0 ao de Auxiliary equation mi? +m=0 => mlm? +1) o m=0, m= Therefore the complementary fimetion is Yer te cosxteysinx Step 2: Since ¥,=G +e,c08x+¢,sinx Therefore wel ypeecosx, yyesinx ‘So that the Wronskian of the solutions y,.y2 and y3 fl cosy siny W(.y2ys)=|0 -sinx cosx 0 -cosx —sinx| By the elementary row operation R, +R, we have lt 0 0 = —sinx cosx —cosx —sin = (sin? x+cos? x)=10 Step 3: The given differential equation is already in the required standard formy" 40 "+ +0 y=csex ‘Step 4: Next we find the determinants W,,1, and. WW; by respectively, replacing I*, 2 0 and 3 column of W by the column 0 csex o cosx = sinx 0 =sinx cosx lcscx -cosx sin. =esex (sin? x+cos?x)-escx 100. sinx W=-|0 0 cosx © cscx —sina| 0 cosx ._|=—cosrcsex=—cotx cscx —sina| 1 cosx 0 and W=|0 -sinx 0 0 -cosx cscx| -sinx 0 Step 5: We compute the derivatives of the flunctionsin, uz andu as: Step 6: Integrate these derivatives to find 1u,.u. and 3 [Bessa [send =lafeser—cors My00s x dx =—lnfsina| sinx ‘Step 7: A particular solution of the non-homogeneous equation is y, “lalesex—corx|-cosxin|sina|—xsinx ‘Step 8: The general solution of the given differential equation is: y=o,4e,cosx+e, sinx+In|esex—cotx|-cosx la|sinx|—xsinx Example 2 ‘Solve the differential equation by vartation of parameters. yt ty! = tan Solution ‘Step 1: We find the complementary fimction by solving the associated homogeneous equation yrty'= Corresponding auxiliary equation is Therefore the complementary function is Vo =e) Hey cos x +e; sine Step 2: Since Yo TA +e2 cosxtessiny Therefore MeaL yy =cosx, y3 =sinx Now we compute the Wronskian of yy. y2 and y3 1 cosx sinx W(d¥293)=]0 —sinx cosx 0 -cosx —sina| the elementary row operation Ry + Ry, we heve lary operat 1 3.i 0 0 ‘cosx ' \ é -cosx —sin = (sin? x+cos? x)-140 Step 3: The given differential equation is already in the required standard form y"+0-y" +)" +0-ystanx Step 4: The determinants W,.WV, andi; are found by replacing the F', 24 and 37 column of W by the column 0 cosx sinx W=| 0 -sinx cosx jtanx —cosx —sinx| ~tanx (cos! x+sin’ x)=tanx 1 0 sinx (0 =6©0)— cosx | =1(0—cosxtanx)=—sinx (0 tanx —sinx| cosa 0 and W3 = sinx © | =1(-sinxtanx)-0=-sinxtanx — cos x tan ‘Step 5: We campute the derivatives of the functions uy. wz andus. i Sle tan aya Geo tan eg ut =D --sine v wi, = 2 -sinxtanx a Step 6: We integrate these derivatives to find u,.u, and.u;- [Max anx dx ~—[—S!2% de ——tn|eoss| wes cone leon ty - | Bav-j-sine dx=cosx Le use [Bax = [-sinxtanxdx a - fries SIRE gx — [-sin? xsecdx cosx = [ (cos? x-1)scexdx = [(cos? xseex—seex) dx =[(cosx-seex)dx—[cosxdx—[secxdx =sinx—In|secx+tanx| Step 7: Thus, a particular solution of the non-homogeneous equation 'p -In|cosx|+cosx cosx+(sinx—In|secx+tanx|) (sinx) —In|cos x|+cos* x+sin® x—sin xIn|secx +tanx| =-In|eosx|+1-sinxin|secx+tanx| Step 8: Hence, the genoral solution of the given differential equation is: p=eq +2 C08 +c; sin.x— lnfeos x| + 1— sin xInfecx + tan af or paler rA)te cose tes sin x —tnfosa|—sins losec s+ tans] or ed, +e, cosx +o, sin x—talcosx|—sin xla|secx+tanx| where dy represents c, +1.