MATH221 - Academic Year 21-22 - Assignment RESIT

Release time and day : ??, ??, ??/08/2022

Submission deadline: ??, ??, ??/08/2022
Only one PDF file will be accepted.
[Total: 120 marks]

Q1. Consider the third-order linear inhomogeneous ordinary differential equation (ODE) with
variable coefficients
d3 y 1 dy 1 1
3
+ 2 − 3 y = ln(x), x > 0.
dx x dx x x
First, given that y1 (x) = x is a solution of the above equation, use the method of reduction
of order to suggest a solution in the form of y(x) = xu(x) and thus derive the ODE for
the unknown function u(x).
Now find a solution of the ODE for du(x)/dx = v(x) by letting v(x) = xρ .
To obtain the second linearly independent solution, again, use the method of reduction of
order to suggest a solution in the form of v2 (x) = v1 (x)w(x) and thus derive the ODE for
the unknown function w(x).
Next, solve the simple separable ODE for the derivative of w(x) and hence find v2 (x).
Using v1 (x) and v2 (x) find the remaining two linearly independent solutions of the original
ODE and write down the solution of the corresponding homogeneous ODE.
Finally, let y(x) = z1 (x)y1 (x) + z2 (x)y2 (x) + z3 (x)y3 (x), where y1 , y2 , y3 denote the funda-
mental solutions.
Use the method of variation of parameters to write down the three ordinary differential
equations that must be satisfied by the first-order derivatives of the unknown functions
z1 , z2 , z3 . Find these functions by integration, and thus establish the particular solution
yp (x) of the given inhomogeneous equation.
[30 marks]
Note that not following the lead of the question at any stage of your solutions may result
in no marks.

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 MATH221 - Academic Year 21-22 - Assignment RESIT

Q2. Given the second-order linear homogeneous ordinary differential equation (ODE) with
variable coefficients
d2 y dy
x2 2 + x + (x2 − ν 2 )y = 0, ν ∈ Z,
dx dx
X∞
use y(x) = an xn+k to obtain
n=0
∞
X
P21 (k)a0 xk + P22 (k)a1 xk+1 + bn xn+k = 0,
n=2

where P21 (k), P22 (k) are polynomials of degree 2 to be determined.

Find the roots of the polynomial equation P21 (k) = 0 and comment on the coefficients a0
and a1 in light of the larger one of these two roots.
Next, using the larger root, establish an explicit expression for the general term bn , and
thus obtain the recurrence relation between an and an−2 . Verify that
1
a2 = − a0 ,
22
· (1 + ν)
1
a4 = 4 a0 ,
2 · 2 · (1 + ν)(2 + ν)
1
a6 = − 6 a0 ,
2 · (2 · 3) · (1 + ν)(2 + ν)(3 + ν)
and hence by justifying
(n + ν)!
(1 + ν)(2 + ν) · · · (n + ν) = ,
ν!
derive
ν!
a2n = (−1)n a0 , n ∈ Z≥1 .
22n
· n! · (n + ν)!
Finally, using the relation you have found above, show that a solution of the given ODE
may be written as
∞
X 1  x 2n+ν
y1 (x) = A0 (−1)n , A0 = a0 · ν! · 2ν .
n! · (n + ν)! 2
n=0

Also comment on the difficulty that arises if we use the smaller root of the polynomial
equation P21 (k) = 0.
[30 marks]
Note that not following the lead of the question at any stage of your solutions may result
in no marks.

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 MATH221 - Academic Year 21-22 - Assignment RESIT

Q3. Find the general solution for each of the following inhomogeneous system of first-order
linear ordinary differential equations
dx
= Ax + f ,
dt
where
x = (x1 , x2 , x3 )> , f = (et , 0, 0)>
and    
0 1 1 8 7 6
(a) A =  1 0 1  , (b) A =  0 10 0  ,
1 1 0 1 9 7
by quasi-diagonalising the matrix A. Clearly identify the solution of the corresponding
homogeneous system and the particular solution in each case.
[35 marks]
Note that the system in part (b) is not fully coupled, however, the question still requires
you to quasi-diagonalise the matrix A.

Q4. Consider the one-dimensional wave equation

utt = a2 uxx ,

where u denotes the position of a vibrating string at the point x at time t > 0. Assuming
that the string lies between x = 0 and x = L, we pose the boundary conditions

ux (0, t) = 0, u(L, t) = 0,

that is the string is “free” at x = 0 and “fixed” at x = L. We also assume that the string
is set in motion with no initial displacement but with some initial velocity, that is we pose
the initial conditions
u(x, 0) = 0, ut (x, 0) = g(x).
Find u(x, t) that satisfies this initial-boundary value problem.
[25 marks]

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