Calculus for AT & EE

Guided self study – Week 5

1. Let A be the set containing all linear homogeneous differential equations of order 2 with
constant coefficients.
a) Describe A in set notation
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
b) Is � = 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎|𝑎𝑎 ∈ ℝ� ⊆ 𝐴𝐴?
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
𝑑𝑑2𝑦𝑦 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
c) Is � + 𝑦𝑦 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = 𝑏𝑏𝑦𝑦|𝑏𝑏 ∈ ℝ� ⊆ 𝐴𝐴?
𝑑𝑑𝑥𝑥 2
𝑑𝑑2 𝑦𝑦 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
d) Is
𝑑𝑑𝑡𝑡 2
+ 𝑡𝑡 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = 𝑡𝑡 3 ∈ 𝐴𝐴?

2. In this exercise we take a closer look at the case when the two roots of the characteristic
equation are the same.
a) Find all functions f which satisfy 𝑓𝑓 ′′ = 0.
b) Consider the second order differential equation
𝑦𝑦 ′′ + 2𝑦𝑦 ′ + 𝑦𝑦 = 0.
Define 𝑧𝑧(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑦𝑦(𝑥𝑥)𝑒𝑒 , where 𝑦𝑦(𝑥𝑥) is a solution of the DE above. Show that 𝑧𝑧 ′′ = 0.
𝑥𝑥

Using (a), what can we conclude about z?

c) Use your result from (b) to find all solutions of
𝑦𝑦 ′′ + 2𝑦𝑦 ′ + 𝑦𝑦 = 0.

3. Find the general solution of the following DE:

𝑦𝑦 ′′′ − 4𝑦𝑦 ′′ + 3𝑦𝑦 ′ = 0
 by using the substitution 𝑧𝑧 = 𝑦𝑦′.
 by solving the auxiliary (or characteristic) equation.

4. Prove the following theorem:

If 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑦𝑦1 (𝑥𝑥) is a solution of the linear, homogeneous equation
𝑎𝑎𝑛𝑛 𝑦𝑦 (𝑛𝑛) + 𝑎𝑎𝑛𝑛−1 𝑦𝑦 (𝑛𝑛−1) + ⋯ + 𝑎𝑎2 𝑦𝑦 ′′ + 𝑎𝑎1 𝑦𝑦 ′ + 𝑎𝑎0 𝑦𝑦 = 0
and 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑦𝑦2 (𝑥𝑥) is a solution of the linear, nonhomogeneous equation
𝑎𝑎𝑛𝑛 𝑦𝑦 (𝑛𝑛) + 𝑎𝑎𝑛𝑛−1 𝑦𝑦 (𝑛𝑛−1) + ⋯ + 𝑎𝑎2 𝑦𝑦 ′′ + 𝑎𝑎1 𝑦𝑦 ′ + 𝑎𝑎0 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥),
Then 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑦𝑦1 (𝑥𝑥) + 𝑦𝑦2 (𝑥𝑥) is also a solution of the same linear, nonhomogeneous equation.

5. Find a general solution for the nonhomogeneous equation

𝑦𝑦 ′′ + 4𝑦𝑦 = 𝑥𝑥 2
Using the method of undetermined coefficients.
6. Consider the following DE:
𝑦𝑦 ′′ (𝑥𝑥) + 𝐴𝐴𝑦𝑦 ′ (𝑥𝑥) + 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥)
with 𝐴𝐴, 𝐵𝐵 ∈ ℝ and 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) a function.
Let p, q, r and s denote the following statements:
 p: 𝑦𝑦1 is a solution of the DE
 q: 𝑦𝑦2 is a solution of the DE
 r: 𝐶𝐶1 𝑦𝑦1 + 𝐶𝐶2 𝑦𝑦2 is a solution of the DE for all 𝐶𝐶1 , 𝐶𝐶2 ∈ ℝ
 s: 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 0 for all 𝑥𝑥 ∈ ℝ.

Write the following compound statements in symbolic form and use your knowledge of the
theory of differential equations to decide whether the statements is true or false:
a) If 𝑦𝑦1 and 𝑦𝑦2 are solutions of the DE then 𝐶𝐶1 𝑦𝑦1 + 𝐶𝐶2 𝑦𝑦2 is a solution of the DE for all 𝐶𝐶1 , 𝐶𝐶2 ∈
ℝ
b) If 𝑦𝑦1 or 𝑦𝑦2 is a solution of the DE then 𝐶𝐶1 𝑦𝑦1 + 𝐶𝐶2 𝑦𝑦2 is a solution of the DE for all 𝐶𝐶1 , 𝐶𝐶2 ∈ ℝ
c) If 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 0 for all 𝑥𝑥 ∈ ℝ and 𝑦𝑦1 and 𝑦𝑦2 are solutions of the DE then 𝐶𝐶1 𝑦𝑦1 + 𝐶𝐶2 𝑦𝑦2 is a
solution of the DE for all 𝐶𝐶1 , 𝐶𝐶2 ∈ ℝ.