4.

Sturm-Liouville BVP

1. For which values of λ does the boundary value problem (BVP)

y 00 − 2y 0 + (1 + λ)y = 0, y(0) = 0, y(1) = 0

has non-trivial solutions?

0
2. Write the following ODEs in the form, r(x)y 0 + q(x) + λp(x) y = 0

(a) xy 00 + (1 − x)y 0 + x2 y + λy = 0

(b) (1 − x2 )y 00 − 2xy 0 + n(n + 1)y = 0

(c) x2 y 00 − 2x3 y + y sin x + λy cos x = 0.

(d) (sin2 x)y 00 + (cos x)y 0 + g(x)y = 0.

3. Determine whether the given boundary value problem is self-adjoint or

not.

(a) y 00 + y 0 + 2y = 0, y(0) = 0, y(1) = 0

(b) y 00 + y = λy, y(0) − y 0 (1) = 0, y 0 (0) − y(1) = 0

(c) (1 + x2 )y 00 + 2xy 0 + y = 0, y 0 (0) = 0, y(1) + 2y 0 (1) = 0

(d) (1+x2 )y 00 +2xy 0 +y = λ(1+x2 )y, y(0)−y 0 (1) = 0, y 0 (0)+2y(1) = 0

(e) y 00 + λy = 0, y(0) = 0, y(π) + y 0 (π) = 0.

Hint: Try to write the above ODEs in L(y) + λp(x)y = 0, where

0
L(y) = r(x)y 0 + q(x)y and use
Lagrange’s Identity with the help of
the given boundary conditions

4. Find the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the following boundary value

problems:

(a) (e2x y)0 + e2x (1 + λ)y = 0, y(0) = 0, y(π) = 0

4
 (b) y 00 + λy = 0, y(0) = 0, y 0 (1) = 0

(c) x2 y 00 + xy 0 + λy = 0, y(1) = 0, y(`) = 0

5. Determine the normalised eigenfunctions of the BVP

y 00 + λy = 0, y(0) = 0, y(1) = 0.