Nonhomogeneous

Linear Differential
Equations
CALCULUS
Nonhomogeneous Differential Equations
Non homogeneous linear equation is in the form of:
ay  by  cy  G ( x )

The related homogeneous equation

ay  by  cy  0 is called the
complementary equation, and it is part
of the general solution to the
nonhomogeneous equation.
 General Solution

The general solution to a nonhomogenous differential equation is

y(x) = yp(x) + yc(x)
where yp is a particular solution to the nonhomogenous equation, and yc
is the general solution to the complementary equation.
Example 1
Solve the equation yʹʹ + yʹ – 2y = x2.
Solution:
r2 + r – 2 = 0
Factor  (r – 1)(r + 2) = 0
r = 1, r = –2
yc = c1ex + c2e–2x
Since G(x) = x2,
yp(x) = Ax2 + Bx + C
ypʹ(x) = 2Ax + B and ypʹʹ(x) = 2A
Example 1 (continued)
Substitute these into the differential equation 
(2A) + (2Ax + B) – 2(Ax2 + Bx + C) = x2
= – 2Ax2 + (2A – 2B)x + (2A + B – 2C) = 1x2 + 0x + 0

1
–2A = 1  A   2 A  B  2C  0
2
 1  1
2         2C  0
 1  2  2
2A – 2B = 0  2     2 B  0
1  2 C
3
B 4
2
Example 1 (FINAL)
Therefore, our particular solution is
1 2 1 3
yp   x  x 
2 2 4
So our general solution is:
1 1 3
ex
y = yc + yp = c1 + c2e 
–2x
x  x
2

2 2 4