Boyce & DiPrima ODEs 10e: Section 7.

5 - Problem 11 Page 1 of 2

Problem 11
In each of Problems 9 through 14, find the general solution of the given system of equations.
 
1 1 2
x0 =  1 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 2
λeλt ξ = 1 2 1 eλt ξ
2 1 1

Divide both sides by eλt .  

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

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

(1 − λ)[(2 − λ)(1 − λ) − 1] − 1[1(1 − λ) − 2] + 2[(1)(1) − 2(2 − 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 11

Substitute these two eigenvalues into equation (1) to determine the corresponding eigenvectors.
     
1 − λ1 1 2 1 − λ2 1 2 1 − λ3 1 2
 1 2 − λ1 1  ξ1 = 0  1 2 − λ2 1  ξ2 = 0  1 2 − λ3 1  ξ3 = 0
2 1 1 − λ1 2 1 1 − λ2 2 1 1 − λ3
     
0 1 2 2 1 2 −3 1 2
1 1 1 ξ1 = 0 1 3 1  ξ 2 = 0  1 −2 1 ξ3 = 0
2 1 0 2 1 2 2 1 −3
  
ξ2 + 2ξ3 = 0
 2ξ1 + ξ2 + 2ξ3 = 0
 −3ξ1 + ξ2 + 2ξ3 = 0
ξ1 + ξ2 + ξ3 = 0 ξ1 + 3ξ2 + ξ3 = 0 ξ1 − 2ξ2 + ξ3 = 0
  
2ξ1 + ξ2 = 0 2ξ1 + ξ2 + 2ξ3 = 0 2ξ1 + ξ2 − 3ξ3 = 0
  

1 1
ξ3 = − ξ2 ξ1 = − ξ2 ξ2 = 0 ξ1 = −ξ3 ξ3 = ξ2 ξ1 = ξ2
2 2
   1 
− 2 ξ2
             
ξ1 −1 ξ1 −ξ3 −1 ξ1 ξ2 1
ξ1 = ξ2  =  ξ2  = ξ20  2  ξ2 = ξ2  =  0  = ξ3  0  ξ3 = ξ2  = ξ2  = ξ2 1
 
ξ3 − 12 ξ2 −1 ξ3 ξ3 1 ξ3 ξ2 1

Three solutions to the system are then

     
−1 −1 1
λ1 t  λ2 t  λ3 t  
x1 = e 2 and x2 = e 0 and x3 = e 1 .
−1 1 1

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

     
−1 −1 1
x = C1 et  2  + C2 e−t  0  + C3 e4t 1 ,
−1 1 1

Page 2 of 2
where C1 and C2 and C3 are arbitrary constants.