29.1 give a system of fundamental solutions

In summary, to determine the general solution and give a system of fundamental solutions for a system of differential equations, one can use the techniques of diagonal, diagonalizable, or triangular matrices. The matrix A can be set as a 2x2 matrix and the eigenvalues can be found. A diagonal matrix has the property of A=PDP^-1 and a triangular matrix is one where the off-diagonal elements are zero. When the dependent variables do not appear in each other's equations, the system is called decoupled and can often be solved more easily.
  • #1
karush
Gold Member
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determine their general solution and give a system of fundamental solutions.
use the different techniques of diagonal, diagonalizedable, or triangular.
$\begin{cases}
y'_1 & =3y_1 \\ y'_2 & =2y_2\end{cases}$
set matrix
$A= \begin{pmatrix}0 &3\\0 &2\end{pmatrix}$
then find eigenvaluesok just seeing if i am starting out correctly with this..
not sure what the difference is between diagonal and diagonalizedable? but it looks diagonal
 
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  • #2
karush said:
determine their general solution and give a system of fundamental solutions.
use the different techniques of diagonal, diagonalizedable, or triangular.
$\begin{cases}
y'_1 & =3y_1 \\ y'_2 & =2y_2\end{cases}$
set matrix
$A= \begin{pmatrix}0 &3\\0 &2\end{pmatrix}$
then find eigenvaluesok just seeing if i am starting out correctly with this..
not sure what the difference is between diagonal and diagonalizedable? but it looks diagonal
It doesn't look diagonal to me, because of the $3$ that is off the diagonal. But it does look triangular.
 
  • #3
Opalg said:
It doesn't look diagonal to me, because of the $3$ that is off the diagonal. But it does look triangular.

ok I don't know for sure but doesn't a diagonal have the property
$A=PDP^{-1}$

which I think it does
 
  • #4
Your DE doesn't match the matrix $A.$ Your system of DE's is actually de-coupled, as you've written it; for such a system, I would expect $A$ to be diagonal. So the matrix $A$ which matches your system would be
$$A=\left[\begin{matrix}3 &0 \\ 0 &2\end{matrix}\right].$$
 
  • #5
how would that fit to $y_1$ and $y_2$ since there is no $x_i$

not sure what you mean by decoupled
 
  • #6
A system of equations like yours:
\begin{align*}
y_1'&=3y_1 \\
y_2'&=2y_2
\end{align*}
is very often written (with an eye towards using matrix methods) in the form $\mathbf{y}'=A\mathbf{y},$ where $A$ is a $2\times 2$ matrix, and
$$\mathbf{y}=\left[\begin{matrix}y_1\\y_2\end{matrix}\right].$$
So, if you compare $\mathbf{y}'=A\mathbf{y}$ with your system, it appears that $A$ must be
$$A=\left[\begin{matrix}3&0\\0&2\end{matrix}\right].$$
The lack of $x_i$ is not a problem here.

The system is called "decoupled" when the dependent variables don't show up in each others' DE's. So, in the equation $y_1'=3y_1,$ there's no $y_2,$ and in the equation $y_2'=2y_2,$ there's no $y_1.$ De-coupled DE's are very often considerably simpler to solve, since you can basically solve each one separately. Indeed, you can simply write down by inspection the solution to this system:
\begin{align*}
y_1&=C_1 e^{3x}\\
y_2&=C_2 e^{2x},
\end{align*}
assuming $x$ is the independent variable.
 

FAQ: 29.1 give a system of fundamental solutions

What is the purpose of a system of fundamental solutions?

A system of fundamental solutions is used to represent a general solution to a linear differential equation. It helps to simplify the process of finding solutions to a differential equation by providing a set of functions that can be combined to form a solution.

How is a system of fundamental solutions different from a general solution?

A general solution is a single equation that encompasses all possible solutions to a differential equation. A system of fundamental solutions, on the other hand, is a set of equations that can be combined to form a general solution.

How do you find a system of fundamental solutions?

To find a system of fundamental solutions, you can use a method called the method of undetermined coefficients. This involves assuming a general form for the solutions and then solving for the coefficients using the differential equation.

Can a system of fundamental solutions be used for all types of differential equations?

No, a system of fundamental solutions is only applicable to linear differential equations. Non-linear differential equations require different methods for finding solutions.

What is the advantage of using a system of fundamental solutions?

The advantage of using a system of fundamental solutions is that it simplifies the process of finding solutions to a differential equation. It provides a set of functions that can be easily combined to form a general solution, rather than having to solve a complex equation each time.

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