Boyce & DiPrima ODEs 10e: Section 7.

5 - Problem 18 Page 1 of 3

Problem 18
In each of Problems 15 through 18, solve the given initial value problem. Describe the behavior of
the solution as t → ∞.    
0 0 −1 7
0
x =  2 0 0 x, x(0) = 5
 
−1 2 4 5

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.
 
0 0 −1
λeλt ξ =  2 0 0 eλt ξ
−1 2 4

Divide both sides by eλt .  

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

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

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

−4 + λ + 4λ2 − λ3 = 0
(λ + 1)(λ − 1)(4 − λ) = 0
λ = {−1, 1, 4}
Let
λ1 = 1 and λ2 = −1 and λ3 = 4.

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Boyce & DiPrima ODEs 10e: Section 7.5 - Problem 18

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

−ξ1 − ξ3 = 0 2ξ1 − ξ2 = 0 ξ1 − ξ3 = 0 2ξ1 + ξ2 = 0 −4ξ1 − ξ3 = 0 − ξ1 + 2ξ2 = 0

   
ξ1
             
ξ1 ξ1 1 ξ1 ξ1 1 ξ1 2
ξ1 = ξ2  =  2ξ1  = ξ1  2  ξ2 = ξ2  = −2ξ1  = ξ1 −2 ξ3 = ξ2  =  21 ξ1  = ξ10  1 
 
ξ3 −ξ1 −1 ξ3 ξ1 1 ξ3 −4ξ1 −8

Three solutions to the system are then

    
1 1 2
x 1 = e λ1 t  2  and x2 = eλ2 t −2 and x3 = eλ3 t  1  .
−1 1 −8

By the principle of superposition, the general solution is

     
1 1 2
t −t  4t 
x = C1 e 2 + C2 e
 −2 + C3 e
 1 ,
−1 1 −8

where C1 and C2 and C3 are arbitrary constants.

Page 2 of 3
Boyce & DiPrima ODEs 10e: Section 7.5 - Problem 18 Page 3 of 3

Apply the given initial condition to determine them.

       
1 1 2 7
t −t  4t 
x(0) = C1 e 2 + C2 e
 −2 + C3 e
 1  = 5

−1 1 −8 5

Write the implied system of equations.

C1 + C2 + 2C3 = 7
2C1 − 2C2 + C3 = 5
−C1 + C2 − 8C3 = 5

Solving it yields C1 = 6 and C2 = 3 and C3 = −1. Therefore, the solution to the initial value
problem is      
1 1 2
x = 6et  2  + 3e−t −2 − e4t  1  .
−1 1 −8
The third term is the dominant one because e4t increases faster than et or e−t . That means the
first two components fall down to −∞ and the third component blows up to +∞ as t → ∞.

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