PRACTICAL - 5

Finding the characteristic equation for first order

PDE and solving them
∂u ∂u
Example 1 Find the characteristic curves of the equation x + y = u and plot them.
∂x ∂y
dx du dy
Solution-The characteristic equations are = = .
x u y
Using (i)=(ii) and integrating,we have,
y
ϕ = = C1 , is the first integral.
x
Using (i)=(iii) and integrating,we have,
u
ψ = = C2 , is the second integral.
x
Solution:

I n [ ] : = Plot[{x, 2 x, 3 x}, {x, - 4, 4}, PlotLegends  {"y=x", "y=2x", "y=3x"},

Axes  True, AxesLabel  {"x", "y"}, PlotLabel  "Characteristic Curves"]
O u t [ ] =

Characteristic Curves
y

10

5 y=x
y=2x
x
-4 -2 2 4 y=3x

-5

-10
2 NIDHI P5.nb

I n [ ] : = Plot[{x, 2 x, 3 x}, {x, - 4, 4}, PlotLegends  {"u=x", "u=2x", "u=3x"},

Axes  True, AxesLabel  {"x", "u"}, PlotLabel  "Characteristic Curves"]
O u t [ ] =
Characteristic Curves
u

10

5 u=x
u=2x
x
-4 -2 2 4 u=3x

-5

-10

I n [ ] : = Plot3D[{x, 2 x, 3 x}, {x, - 4, 4}, {u, - 4, 4}, PlotLegends  {"y=x", "y=2x", "y=3x"},
Axes  True, AxesLabel  {"x", "u", "y"}, PlotLabel  "Characteristic Curves"]
O u t [ ] =

y=x
y=2x
y=3x
 NIDHI P5.nb 3

I n [ ] : = ParametricPlot3D[{{t, t, u}, {t, 2 t, u}, {t, 3 t, u}}, {t, - 5, 5}, {u, - 4, 4}]
O u t [ ] =

I n [ ] : = ParametricPlot3D[{{t, y, t}, {t, y, 2 t}, {t, y, 3 t}}, {t, - 5, 5}, {y, - 4, 4}]
O u t [ ] =

∂u ∂u
Example 3 Find the characteristic curves of the equation x 2 + y = (x + y) u and plot
∂x ∂y

them.
4 NIDHI P5.nb

dx du dy
Solution - The characteristic equations are = = .
x2 (x+y) u y2
Using (i) = (ii) and integrating, we have,
(y - x)
ϕ= = C1, is the first integral.
xy
Using (i) = (iii) and integrating, we have,
u
ψ= = C2, is the second integral.
x-y
Solution:

x x x y-x y-x y-x

I n [ ] : = Plot , , , {x, - 3, 3}, PlotLegends  " =1", " =2", " =3",
1-x 1-2x 1-3x xy xy xy
Axes  True, AxesLabel  {"x", "y"}, PlotLabel  "Characteristic Curves"
O u t [ ] =

Characteristic Curves
y

0.5

y -x
x =1
xy
-3 -2 -1 1 2 3
y -x
=2
xy
-0.5
y -x
=3
xy

-1.0

-1.5
 NIDHI P5.nb 5

I n [ ] : = Plot3D{x - y, 2 (x - y), 3 (x - y)}, {x, - 3, 3}, {y, - 3, 3},

u u u
PlotLegends  " =1", " =2", " =3", Axes  True,
x-y x-y x-y
AxesLabel  {"x", "y", "u"}, PlotLabel  "Characteristic Curves"
O u t [ ] =

u
=1
x -y
u
=2
x -y
u
=3
x -y