W1-2-6-1-6

JOMO KENYATTA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY

UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS 2012/2013
EXAMINATION FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN
ENGINEERING
SMA 2371 : PARTIAL DIFFERENTIATION

DATE: DECEMBER 2012 TIME: 2 HOURS

μ
INSTRUCTIONS : ANSWER QUESTION AND ANY OTHER TWO QUESTIOS

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QUESTION ONE[30 MARKS]

(a) Distinguish between a partial differential equation and ordinary differential equation.
[2 marks]

(b) Determine the partial differential equation arising from

x 2  y 2  (   c) 2  a 2 [4 marks]
(c) Find the integral surfaces of the equation
x( y 2  ) p  y( x 2  z )q  ( x 2  y 2 ) which contains the straight line x+y=0 and z=1.
(d) Find the integral surface of the equations
dx dy dz
= = [6 marks]
(b  c) yz (c  a) xz (a  c) xy

(e) Use the sine fourier transform method to determine the temperature of a metal bar whose
thermal diffusivity is α given u t   xx , x >0+>0 with the boundary conditions
u(o, t )  u0 , t  0 and the initial condition u( x1 0)0x  0)  0x  0 [6 marks]
(f) State the equation governing the vibration of a string and show that the equation is variable
separable [6 marks]

QUESTION TWO [20 MARKS]

(a) Prove that the function F(μ1Y)=0 is a solution of the lagrange equation Pp+Qq = R where
dx dy dz
U and Y are solutions of the equations   [10 marks]
p q R
 (b) Find the orthogonal trajectiories on the surface xz  yz  9 of the conics in which its cut by
the system of planes z  y  z  c where c is a parameter. [10 marks]

QUESTION THREE [20 MARKS]

1 1
(a) Show that the laplace equation  rr  ur  2 u  0 N variable separable and its
r r
solution can be expressed as u(r , )  ( Ar  Br n )(c cos n  D sin  ) [10 marks]
n

(b) Use the method of separation of variables to solve the one dimensional heat equation
 1 
 ;0  x  lt  0
x 2 k t
Subject to  (0, t )  u(i, t )0, u( x1 0)  x [10 marks]

QUESTION FOUR [20 MARKS]

(a) Use the method of separation of variables to solve the equation

 
x y  2  0 ,  (1,1)  3, (2,2)  48 [8 marks]
x x

(b) If E ( x, t ) show that

d 2E
(i) LE xx   [1 mark]
dx 2

(ii) LEt   SE  E (x,00 [2 mark]

(iii)Hence use the Laplace transform method to determine the voltage E(x,t) give that the
transmission line of negligible resistance and capacitance has its sending end at x – 0 and
receiving end at x = l with a constant voltage E0 applied at the sending end while an open
circuit is maintained at the receiving end so that the current there is zero (Assume that the
initial voltage and current are zero) Hint: The telephone equation under these conditions is
E  2 E
given as tG  2 [9 marks]
t x