MHB Another second order non homogeneous ODE....

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on solving a second-order non-homogeneous ordinary differential equation (ODE) presented by the user ssh. The initial step involves finding the general solution of the associated homogeneous ODE, leading to the derivation of a first-order ODE. The solutions for the particular case are expressed in terms of independent functions, ultimately yielding a general solution for the non-homogeneous ODE. Additionally, the discussion touches on the challenges of finding series solutions for related ODEs, particularly noting the singularity at x=0. The overall procedure demonstrates a systematic approach to solving second-order linear ODEs with variable coefficients.
chisigma
Gold Member
MHB
Messages
1,627
Reaction score
0
Four days ago on mathhelpforum.com the user ssh [I don’t know if he the same as in MHB…] has proposed the following second order complete linear ODE…

$\displaystyle y^{\ ''} – \frac{2+x}{x}\ y^{\ ’}\ + \frac{2+x}{x^{2}}\ y = x\ e^{x}$ (1)

… and till now no satisfactory solution has been supplied. Well!... now we have the opportunity to test the procedure described in…

http://www.mathhelpboards.com/f17/how-solve-differential-equation-second-order-linear-variable-coefficient-2089/index2.html

The first step is to find the general solution of the incomplete ODE...

$\displaystyle y^{\ ''} – \frac{2+x}{x}\ y^{\ ’}\ + \frac{2+x}{x^{2}}\ y = 0$ (2)

If u and v are two independent solution of (2) then we arrive to write...

$\displaystyle (v\ u^{\ ''} - u\ v^{\ ''}) = \frac{2+x}{x}\ (v\ u^{\ '} - u\ v^{\ '})$ (3)

... and setting $z= v\ u^{\ '} - u\ v^{\ '}$ we obtain the first order ODE...

$\displaystyle z^{\ '}= \frac{2+x}{x}\ z$ (4)

... one solution of which is $\displaystyle z=x^{2}\ e^{x}$, so that is...

$\displaystyle \frac{z}{v^{2}} = \frac{d}{d x} (\frac{u}{v}) = \frac{x^{2}\ e^{x}}{v^{2}} \implies u= v\ \int \frac{x^{2}\ e^{x}}{v^{2}}\ dx$ (5)

It is easy enough to see that $v=x$ is solution of (2) so that…

$\displaystyle u= x\ \int e^{x}\ dx = x\ e^{x}$ (6)

Now that we have u and v we have to find the particular solution of (1) in the form...

$\displaystyle Y= C_{1}(x)\ u + C_{2} (x)\ v$ (7)

... where...

$\displaystyle C_{1}(x) = - \int \frac{ v\ \varphi(x)}{W_{u,v}(x)}\ dx$

$\displaystyle C_{2}(x) = \int \frac{ u\ \varphi(x)}{W_{u,v}(x)}\ dx$ (8)

The Wronskian is computed as $\displaystyle W_{u,v} (x)= u\ v^{\ '}-v\ u^{\ '} = - x^{2}\ e^{x}$ and is $\displaystyle \varphi(x)= x\ e^{x}$ so that we obtain...

$\displaystyle C_{1}(x)= \int dx = x$

$\displaystyle C_{2}(x)= - \int \frac{d x}{x}= \ln \frac{1}{|x|}$ (9)

... and the general solution of (1) is...

$\displaystyle y(x)= c_{1}\ x\ e^{x} + c_{2}\ x + x^{2}\ e^{x} + x\ \ln \frac{1}{|x|}$ (10)

Kind regards

$\chi$ $\sigma$
 
Mathematics news on Phys.org
For completeness sake now we describe the general solving procedure of an ODE of the type...

$\displaystyle y^{\ ''} + p(x)\ y^{\ ’}\ + q(x)\ y = \varphi(x)$ (1)

The first step is to find the general solution of the incomplete ODE...

$\displaystyle y^{\ ''} + p(x)\ y^{\ ’}\ + q(x)\ y = 0$ (2)... which can be written as... $y(x)= c_{1}\ u(x) + c_{2}\ v(x)$ (3)... where u(*) and v(*) are two independent solutions of (2), $c_{1}$ and $c_{2}$ are constants. If u and v are both solution of (2) then ...

$\displaystyle u^{\ ''} + p(x)\ u^{\ ’}\ + q(x)\ u = 0$

$\displaystyle v^{\ ''} + p(x)\ v^{\ ’}\ + q(x)\ v = 0$ (4)

Multiplying the first of the (4) by v, the second by u and subtracting is...

$\displaystyle (v\ u^{\ ''} - u\ v^{\ ''}) = - p(x)\ (v\ u^{\ '} - u\ v^{\ '})$ (5)

... and setting $z= v\ u^{\ '} - u\ v^{\ '}$ we obtain the first order ODE...

$\displaystyle z^{\ '}= - p(x)\ z$ (6)

... one solution of which is $\displaystyle z = e^{- \int p(x)\ dx}$, so that is...

$\displaystyle \frac{d}{d x} (\frac{u}{v}) = \frac{z}{v^{2}} \implies u= v\ \int \frac{z}{v^{2}}\ dx$ (7)

... and the (7) allows to obtain, if we are able to find a solution v of (2), another solution u independent from it.

Now that we have u and v we have to find the particular solution of (1) in the form...

$\displaystyle Y= C_{1}(x)\ u + C_{2} (x)\ v$ (8)

... where...

$\displaystyle C_{1}(x) = - \int \frac{ v\ \varphi(x)}{W_{u,v}(x)}\ dx$

$\displaystyle C_{2}(x) = \int \frac{ u\ \varphi(x)}{W_{u,v}(x)}\ dx$ (9)

... the Wronskian of u and v being...

$\displaystyle W_{u,v} (x)= u\ v^{\ '}-v\ u^{\ '}$ (9)

The general solution of (1) is...

$\displaystyle y(x)= \{c_{1} + C_{1} (x)\}\ u(x) + \{c_{2} + C_{2}(x)\}\ v(x) $ (10)

The procedure we have described permits a comfortable solution of an ODE like (1). The only 'weak point' is that it can start only if a particular solution of the incomplete ODE is known and that sometime can be an hard task...

Kind regards

$\chi$ $\sigma$
 
An interesting example of second order linear incomplete ODE can be found in mathhelpforum.com...

series solution!

The ODE is...

$\displaystyle y^{\ ''} + (1+\frac{1}{x})\ y^{\ '} - \frac{1}{x^{2}}=0$ (1)

... and for that a 'series solution' is explicity required. Applying the procedure we have described in previous post we arrive at the first order ODE...

$\displaystyle z^{\ '} = -(1+\frac{1}{x})\ z$ (2)

... one solution of which is...

$\displaystyle z= \frac{e^{-x}}{x}$ (3)

... so that if u and v are two independent solutions of (1) then is...

$\displaystyle u= v\ \int \frac{e^{-x}}{x\ v^{2}}\ dx$ (4)

Now $v= \frac{e^{-x}}{x}$ is solution of (1) so that we obtain...

$\displaystyle u= \frac{e^{-x}}{x}\ \int x\ e^{x}\ dx = \frac{x-1}{x}$ (5)... so that the general solution of (1) is...

$\displaystyle y(x)=c_{1}\ \frac{x-1}{x} + c_{2}\ \frac{e^{-x}}{x}$ (6)

Observing (6) it is obvious that any non zero solution of (1) has a singularity in x=0 and therefore the standard Mc Laurin series solution attempt necessarly fails...

Kind regards

$\chi$ $\sigma$
 
chisigma said:
... so that the general solution of (1) is...

$\displaystyle y(x)=c_{1}\ \frac{x-1}{x} + c_{2}\ \frac{e^{-x}}{x}$ (6)

Observing (6) it is obvious that any non zero solution of (1) has a singularity in x=0 and therefore the standard Mc Laurin series solution attempt necessarly fails...

Of course that is not fully true, because in the particular case $\displaystyle c_{2}=c_{1}=c$ the series solution do exist and is...

$\displaystyle y(x)= c\ \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} (-1)^{n+1}\ \frac{x^{n}}{(n+1)!}$

In this case however is $y(0)=0$ and You can only impose a value to $y^{\ '}(0)$...

Kind regards

$\chi$ $\sigma$
 
Last edited:
Seemingly by some mathematical coincidence, a hexagon of sides 2,2,7,7, 11, and 11 can be inscribed in a circle of radius 7. The other day I saw a math problem on line, which they said came from a Polish Olympiad, where you compute the length x of the 3rd side which is the same as the radius, so that the sides of length 2,x, and 11 are inscribed on the arc of a semi-circle. The law of cosines applied twice gives the answer for x of exactly 7, but the arithmetic is so complex that the...
Is it possible to arrange six pencils such that each one touches the other five? If so, how? This is an adaption of a Martin Gardner puzzle only I changed it from cigarettes to pencils and left out the clues because PF folks don’t need clues. From the book “My Best Mathematical and Logic Puzzles”. Dover, 1994.

Similar threads

Replies
3
Views
2K
Replies
2
Views
2K
Replies
3
Views
1K
Replies
2
Views
1K
Replies
1
Views
10K
Back
Top