Boyce & DiPrima ODEs 10e: Section 7.

5 - Problem 1 Page 1 of 2

Problem 1
In each of Problems 1 through 6:
(a) Find the general solution of the given system of equations and describe the behavior of the
solution as t → ∞.
(b) Draw a direction field and plot a few trajectories of the system.
 
3 −2
x0 = x
2 −2

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.
 
λt 3 −2 λt
λe ξ = e ξ
2 −2
Divide both sides by eλt .  
3 −2
λξ = ξ
2 −2
This is now an eigenvalue problem.
   
3 −2 λ 0
− ξ=0
2 −2 0 λ
 
3−λ −2
ξ=0 (1)
2 −2 − λ
The eigenvalues satisfy  
3−λ −2
det = 0.
2 −2 − λ
Evaluate the determinant and solve for λ.
(3 − λ)(−2 − λ) + 4 = 0
−2 − λ + λ2 = 0
(λ + 1)(λ − 2) = 0
λ = {−1, 2}
Let
λ1 = −1 and λ2 = 2.
Substitute these two eigenvalues into equation (1) to determine the corresponding eigenvectors.
   
3 − λ1 −2 3 − λ2 −2
ξ =0 ξ =0
2 −2 − λ1 1 2 −2 − λ2 2
   
4 −2 1 −2
ξ =0 ξ =0
2 −1 1 2 −4 2
2ξ1 − ξ2 = 0 ξ1 − 2ξ2 = 0
ξ2 = 2ξ1 ξ1 = 2ξ2
           
ξ1 ξ1 1 ξ1 2ξ2 2
ξ1 = = = ξ1 ξ2 = = = ξ2
ξ2 2ξ1 2 ξ2 ξ2 1

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Boyce & DiPrima ODEs 10e: Section 7.5 - Problem 1 Page 2 of 2

Two solutions to the system are then

   −t     2t 
λ1 t 1 e λ2 t 2 2e
x1 = e = and x2 = e = .
2 2e−t 1 e2t

The Wronskian of these two functions is

e−t 2e2t
W [x1 , x2 ](t) = = et − 4et = −3et ,
2e−t e2t

which is never zero. That means x1 and x2 form a fundamental set of solutions. Therefore, by the
principle of superposition, the general solution is
   
−t 1 2t 2
x = C1 e + C2 e ,
2 1

where C1 and C2 are arbitrary constants. The direction field is the two-dimensional vector field
obtained from the system of equations.
   
0 3 −2 3x1 − 2x2
x = x= ⇒ h3x1 − 2x2 , 2x1 − 2x2 i
2 −2 2x1 − 2x2

The direction field is shown below in red, and the possible trajectories are shown below in blue.

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