Boyce & DiPrima ODEs 10e: Section 7.

5 - Problem 14 Page 1 of 2

Problem 14
In each of Problems 9 through 14, find the general solution of the given system of equations.
 
1 −1 4
x0 =  3 2 −1 x
2 1 −1

Solution

Because this is a constant-coefficient homogeneous linear system, it’s expected to have solutions
of the form x = eλt ξ, where ξ has constant elements.
 
1 −1 4
λeλt ξ = 3 2 −1 eλt ξ
2 1 −1

Divide both sides by eλt .  

1 −1 4
λξ = 3 2 −1 ξ
2 1 −1
This is now an eigenvalue problem.
   
 1 −1 4 λ 0 0 
3 2 −1 −  0 λ 0  ξ = 0
2 1 −1 0 0 λ
 

 
1 − λ −1 4
 3 2−λ −1  ξ = 0 (1)
2 1 −1 − λ
The eigenvalues satisfy  
1 − λ −1 4
det  3 2−λ −1  = 0.
2 1 −1 − λ
Evaluate the determinant and solve for λ.
2−λ −1 3 −1 3 2−λ
(1 − λ) +1 +4 =0
1 −1 − λ 2 −1 − λ 2 1

(1 − λ)[(2 − λ)(−1 − λ) + 1] + 1[3(−1 − λ) + 2] + 4[(1)(3) − 2(2 − λ)] = 0

−6 + 5λ + 2λ2 − λ3 = 0
(λ + 2)(λ − 1)(3 − λ) = 0
λ = {−2, 1, 3}
Let
λ1 = 1 and λ2 = −2 and λ3 = 3.

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Boyce & DiPrima ODEs 10e: Section 7.5 - Problem 14

Substitute these three eigenvalues into equation (1) to determine the corresponding eigenvectors.
     
1 − λ1 −1 4 1 − λ2 −1 4 1 − λ3 −1 4
 3 2 − λ1 −1  ξ1 = 0  3 2 − λ2 −1  ξ2 = 0  3 2 − λ3 −1  ξ3 =0
2 1 −1 − λ1 2 1 −1 − λ2 2 1 −1 − λ3
     
0 −1 4 3 −1 4 −2 −1 4
3 1 −1 ξ1 = 0 3 4 −1 ξ2 = 0  3 −1 −1 ξ3 =0
2 1 −2 2 1 1 2 1 −4
     
0 −1 4 0 3 −1 4 0 −2 −1 4 0
1 0 1 0   0 5 −5 0   5 0 −5 0
2 1 −2 0 5 0 5 0 0 0 0 0

−ξ2 + 4ξ3 = 0 ξ1 + ξ3 = 0 5ξ2 − 5ξ3 = 0 5ξ1 + 5ξ3 = 0 5ξ1 − 5ξ3 = 0 − 2ξ1 − ξ2 + 4ξ3 = 0
                 
ξ1 −ξ3 −1 ξ1 −ξ3 −1 ξ1 ξ3 1
ξ1 = ξ2  =  4ξ3  = ξ3  4  ξ2 = ξ2  =  ξ3  = ξ3  1  ξ3 = ξ2  = 2ξ3  = ξ3 2
ξ3 ξ3 1 ξ3 ξ3 1 ξ3 ξ3 1

Three solutions to the system are then

     
−1 −1 1
λ1 t  λ2 t  λ3 t  
x1 = e 4 and x2 = e 1 and x3 = e 2 .
1 1 1

Therefore, by the principle of superposition, the general solution is

     
−1 −1 1
x = C1 et  4  + C2 e−2t  1  + C3 e3t 2 ,
1 1 1

where C1 and C2 and C3 are arbitrary constants.

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