How to Approach Solving 2y+(y')^2+ax^b=0?

In summary, the author was trying to solve an equation for a surface of revolution, and was not able to solve it using known methods. He found a paper that showed a solution for a similar case, but could not figure out how to use the a term in the equation. He found a function that satisfied the equation, but could not find the radius of the surface.
  • #1
depizixuri
13
2
I tried to solve this differential equation:

2y+(y')^2+ax^b=0

...but don't know what to do with it.

Don't know what variable substitution to use.
Tried Taylor series, but I get horrible nonlinear equations for the coefficients.

Tried Mathematica, but it doesn't answer anything:

Code:
In[20]:= Dsolve[2*y + y'^2 + a*x^b == 0, x]

Out[20]= Dsolve[a x^b + 2 y + (Derivative[1][y])^2 == 0, x]

Can you help me?
 
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  • #3
Is not home assignment. Is personal curiosity. I want it to find the radius of a surface of revolution from which I only know the area. After some manipulation, I reduced the equation to this form. ¿Do you want to know how I got it?

Meanwhile I have been told to look on the Weierstrass function, so I found this paper which shows the solution for a similar case (equation 3.9 page 445, with [itex]-C_0=2[/itex] and [itex]a_2=1[/itex] ), but I can't manage the term [itex]a.x^b[/itex], where [itex]-4 \leq b \leq -2[/itex]. It would be helpful at least find the solution for [itex]b=-3[/itex].
 
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  • #4
Yes, we'd be curious how you came up with the equation.
 
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Likes berkeman
  • #5
jedishrfu said:
Yes, we'd be curious how you came up with the equation.

Ok. I was reading about Hausdorff dimension, and I wanted to find a continuous, compact surface, without holes, with dimension [itex]1 \leq r \leq 2[/itex].

So, the area function A(x), to have a Hausdorff dimension r, must satisfy this equation: [itex]\epsilon A_{(\frac{x}{\epsilon})} = \epsilon^r A_{(x)}[/itex].
Equivalently:

[itex]A_{(\frac{x}{\epsilon})} = \epsilon^{r-1} A_{(x)} [/itex] [I]

The derivative of A(x) is
[itex]A'_{(x)}=\lim_{\epsilon \to 1}\frac{A_{(x.\epsilon)}-A_{(x)}}{x.\epsilon-x} [/itex] [II]

Because [I]
[itex]A_{(x.\epsilon)}=\epsilon^{1-r} A_{(x)}[/itex]

So [II] is
[itex]A'_{(x)}=A_{(x)} \lim_{\epsilon \to 1}\frac{\epsilon^{1-r}-1}{x.\epsilon-x} = A_{(x)} \frac{1-r}{x}[/itex]

Solving it: [itex]A_{(x)}=c_1 x^{(1-r)}[/itex]

I think that is the only solution for [I], but do not have proof.

I now want this area to continuously transform from the real line (dimension r=1) to the complex plane (r=2), so I want a 2D surface curved in 3D space with area A(x).

I want to find the function radius R(x) whose surface of revolution is A(x).

My equation is [itex]A_x =2\pi \int R_{(x)} \sqrt{1+\left( R'_{(x)}\right)^2} \, dx[/itex] [IV]
I will deal with integration limits later.

Deriving [IV] and squaring both sides, I get:

[itex]\left (\frac {c_1 (1-r)}{2 \pi} \right)^2 x^{-2r} = R_{(x)} ^2 + \left ( R_{(x)} R'_{(x)} \right )^2 [/itex]

Replacing

[itex]R_{(x)}^2 =2y [/itex]
[itex] R_{(x)}R'_{(x)} =y' [/itex]
[itex]a= - \left (\frac {c_1 (1-r)}{2 \pi} \right)^2 [/itex]
[itex]b= - 2r [/itex]

I get the differential equation I want to solve:
[itex]2y + y'^2 + a x^b=0[/itex]

I had been vaguely told that should look on Weierstrass[/PLAIN] p function, [itex]\wp[/itex] and that it may have a closed solution for [itex]b \in \mathbb{Z}[/itex].

I found this paper, about using the [itex]\wp[/itex] function for solving differential equations, but I can't figure how to use it.
 
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  • #6
Do anybody knows any more specialized forum where I can ask about this?
 
  • #7
jedishrfu said:
Yes, we'd be curious how you came up with the equation.

Why you asked? Does the answer makes a difference? Does it help to classify the problem or know what area should it be related? Can you tell me at least what information does that gives or could give to you?

I ask because it may help me to investigate it.
 
  • #8
Maybe I'm doing something really dumb, but:
$$2y+(y')^2+ax^b=0$$
Let ##y=x^2##. Then we have
$$2(x^2)+(2x)^2+ax^b = 0$$
Choose ##a=-6,b=2##.
Maybe that's a start?
 
  • #9
TeethWhitener said:
Maybe I'm doing something really dumb, but:
$$2y+(y')^2+ax^b=0$$
Let ##y=x^2##. Then we have
$$2(x^2)+(2x)^2+ax^b = 0$$
Choose ##a=-6,b=2##.
Maybe that's a start?

It helps. It says that for dimension ##r=-1: c_1=36\pi## and helps me think out the box of treating b as a variable.

Actually, those values for a and b have 10 different solutions for y(x). I'm not sure about what to make of it. Maybe one of those solutions is x².

Thanks you.
 
  • #10
TeethWhitener said:
Maybe I'm doing something really dumb, but:
$$2y+(y')^2+ax^b=0$$
Let ##y=x^2##. Then we have
$$2(x^2)+(2x)^2+ax^b = 0$$
Choose ##a=-6,b=2##.
Maybe that's a start?

No. It doesn't works. If I choose r=1, then A(x)=constant (which is correct), but R(x) is variable using this method.
 
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  • #11
You can let [tex]w = -y'[/tex] and reduce the equation to an Abel Equation: [tex]ww'-w = f'/2, f = -ax^b[/tex] Unfortunately, known closed form solutions of Abel's equations only exist in special situations, and this isn't one of the known ones.

Here is a paper on ways to approach Abel's equations: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1503.05929.pdf
 
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Related to How to Approach Solving 2y+(y')^2+ax^b=0?

1. How do I solve a nonlinear equation?

Nonlinear equations, such as 2y+(y')^2+ax^b=0, cannot be solved using simple algebraic methods. Instead, numerical methods such as Newton's method or the bisection method can be used to find approximate solutions.

2. What is the role of the variable "a" in this equation?

The variable "a" represents a constant in this equation. Its value will affect the shape and position of the graph of the equation, but it does not affect the method of solving the equation.

3. Can I solve this equation analytically?

No, this equation cannot be solved analytically. It can only be solved using numerical methods.

4. How do I choose the initial values for the numerical methods?

The initial values for numerical methods should be chosen carefully, as they can affect the accuracy and convergence of the solution. It is often helpful to have some understanding of the behavior of the equation and to choose initial values that are close to the solution.

5. Are there any software programs that can solve this equation?

Yes, there are many mathematical software programs that can solve nonlinear equations like 2y+(y')^2+ax^b=0. Some examples include MATLAB, Wolfram Alpha, and Maple.

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