MATH 2320

Final review, Answers

1. Find the general solution of the differential equation and use it to determine how solutions behave
as t → ∞.
y ′ + 7y = t + e−5t

Answer : linear
t 1 1
y= − + e−5t + ce−7t
7 49 2
t 1
As t → ∞ the solution approaches the line y = − .
7 49

2. Find the solution of the given initial value problem in explicit form
1
y ′ = (1 − 7x) y 2 , y(0) = −
3

Answer : separable
2
y=
7x2 − 2x − 6

3. Find the solution of the given initial value problem in explicit form
π  π
sin 2x dx + cos 5y dy = 0, y =
2 5

Answer :
1
π − arcsin 5 cos2 x


y=
5
Note that the equation is separable
 Z Z
cos 5y dy = − sin 2x dx

1 1
sin(5y) = cos(2x) + C
5 2
π π 1 1
Using y = when x = we have 0 = − + C so C = .
5 2 2 2
sin(5y) = 5 cos2 x
π
There is no solution when 5 cos2 x > 1 and the interval for x must contain . The reference
2 h π πi
angle for 5y is arcsin(5 cos2 x). Note that the function sin−1 x = arcsin x has range − , by
 2 2
π π 3π
definition. Since 5y is π when x is we have to find a solution for 5y in the interval , . Since
2 2 2
sin(θ) = sin(π − θ) we have 5y = π − arcsin 5 cos2 x and thus

1
π − arcsin 5 cos2 x


y=
5
For the graph below recall that when x close to zero we have sin x ≈ x and thus arcsin x ≈ x.

πy π − arcsin 5 cos2 x


5 cos2 x
3

π2
2
arcsin 5 cos2 x


1

π 3π
x
2 π 2 2π
−1

4. Determine without solving the problem an interval in which the solution of the given initial value
problem is certain to exist.

25 − t2 y ′ + 2ty = 8t2 , y(−8) = 1

Answer :
(−∞, −5)
A first order linear differential equation y ′ + p(t)y = g(t) is guaranteed to have solution on the
interval on which the coefficients are continuous. Look at the interval that contain the initial time
t0 = −8, where p(t) and g(t) are defined. This is an application of theorem 2.4.1.
5. Determine without solving the problem an interval in which the solution of the given initial value
problem is certain to exist.

25 − t2 y ′ + 2ty = 3t2 , y(2) = −3

Answer :
(−5, 5)

6. Classify the critical (equilibrium) points as asymptotically stable or unstable.

dy
= y(y − 2)(y − 5), y0 ≥ 0
dt

Answer :0 is unstable, 2 is asymptotically stable, and 5 is unstable.

7. Classify the critical (equilibrium) points as asymptotically stable, unstable, or semistable.

dy
= y 2 (7 − y 2 ), −∞ < y0 < ∞
dt
√ √
Answer :− 7 is unstable, 0 is semistable, and 7 is asymptotically stable.

8. Find the values of b for which the equation is exact, and then solve it using that value of b.

ye7xy + x dx + bxe7xy dy = 0

Answer :
1 7xy x2
b = 1, e + =c
7 2
 y
9. Let y ′ = 1 − y and y(0) = 0. Use Euler’s method
with h = 0.5 to
find approximate values of the solution
at t1 = 0.5, t2 = 1, t3 = 1.5.
t
t0 t1 t2 t3

Answer : Given
dy
= f (t, y), y(t0 ) = y0
dt
the Euler method consists of building an approximation to the solution, using an iterative method,
by taking a small step on the tangent line corresponding to current value of the iteration. Using a
step of size h in the input, starting at y0 we build y1 using

y1 = y0 + f (t0 , y0 )h = y0 + m0 h

The process continues with

y2 = y1 + f (t1 , y1 )h = y1 + m1 h
and in general
yn+1 = yn + f (tn , yn )h = yn + mn h
where t1 = t0 + h, t2 = t1 + h and tn = tn−1 + h = t0 + nh.
Note that yn gives an approximation for the actual solution y(t) evaluated at tn .
dy
For the given differential equation we have = f (t, y) = f (y) = 1 − y and starting at t0 = 0, using
dt
step h = 0.5, have to obtain the approximations at

t1 = 0.5, t2 = 1, t3 = 1.5.

1
The first slope, m0 = f (0) = 1, and y1 = y0 + m0 h = 0 + 1 · 0.5 = 0.5 =
2
3
The next slope, m1 = 1 − 0.5 = 0.5, and y2 = y1 + m1 h = 0.5 + 0.5 · 0.5 = 0.75 =
4
7
Similarly, we obtain m2 = 0.25, y3 = y2 + m2 h = 0.75 + 0.125 = 0.875 =
8
10. Let y ′ = 3 + 2t − y and y(0) = 0. Using Euler’s method with h = 0.5 find approximate values of
the initial value problem at t = 0.5, 1, and 1.5.

Answer :
dy
For the given differential equation we have = f (t, y) = 3 + 2t − y and starting at t0 = 0, using
dt
step h = 0.5, have to obtain the approximations at

t1 = 0.5, t2 = 1, t3 = 1.5.

The first slope, m0 , is m0 = f (0, 0) = 3, and y1 = y0 + m0 h = 0 + 3 · 0.5 = 1.5

The next slope, m1 is m1 = 3 + 1 − 1.5 = 2.5, y2 = y1 + m1 h = 1.5 + 2.5 · 0.5 = 2.75
Similarly we obtain m2 = 2.25, y3 = 3.875

The exact solution of the equation y + y ′ = 3 + 2t, is given by y = 1 + 2t − e−t .

11. Solve the differential equation

dy x4 − 8y
=
dx x

Answer : linear, integrating factor µ = x8

c x4
y= +
x8 12

12. Solve the differential equation

dy 3x2 − 9y − y 3
=
dx 9x + 3xy 2

Answer : exact
9xy + xy 3 − x3 = c

13. Find the solution of the initial value problem 16y ′′ − y = 0, y(−4) = 1, y ′ (−4) = −1 .
Answer :
5 3e
y = e−t/4 − et/4
2e 2

14. Find the Wronskian of the given pair of functions cos2 θ, 1 + cos 2θ .
Answer :
0

15. Find the Wronskian of the given pair of functions

x, xex

Answer :
x2 ex
16. Determine without solving the problem the longest interval in which the given initial value problem
is certain to have a unique twice differentiable solution.

t (t − 6) y ′′ + 2ty ′ + 5y = 5, y(3) = 6, y ′ (3) = −7

Answer :
(0, 6)

17. Consider the equation

y ′′ − y ′ − 2y = 0
Note that y1 (t) = e−t and y2 (t) = e2t form a fundamental set of solutions. Is y3 (t) = 3e−t + 2e2t
also a solution of this equation?
Answer : Yes, it is a solution.

18. Use Euler’s formula to express e3+9i into the form a + bi.
Answer :
e3 (cos 9 + i sin 9) = e3 cos 9 + ie3 sin 9

19. Find the general solution of the given differential equation

y ′′ − 6y ′ + 10y = 0.

Answer :
y = c1 e3t cos t + c2 e3t sin t

20. Find the general solution of the given differential equation

16y ′′ − 16y ′ − 5y = 0.

Answer :
1 5
y = c1 e− 4 t + c2 e 4 t

21. Find the solution of the given initial value problem

16y ′′ − 24y ′ + 9y = 0, y(0) = 3, y ′ (0) = 5

Answer :
3 11 3 t
y = 3e 4 t + te 4
4

22. Find the general solution of the given differential equation

y ′′ − 2y ′ − 3y = −3te−t .

Answer :
3 −t 3 2 −t
y = c1 e−t + c2 e3t + te + t e
16 8
23. Solve the given initial value problem

y ′′ + 4y = t2 + 2et , y(0) = 0, y ′ (0) = 1

Answer :
11 3 1 1 2
y=− cos 2t + sin 2t − + t2 + et
40 10 8 4 5

24. Use the method of variation of parameters to find the general solution of the differential equation.

4y ′′ − 4y ′ + y = 16et/2 .

Answer :
y = c1 et/2 + c2 tet/2 + 2t2 et/2

25. Find a particular solution for the differential equation

y (4) − 4y (3) + 6y ′′ − 4y ′ + y = ex sin x.

Answer. The corresponding homogeneous equation has solution yh = (a1 + a2 x + a3 x2 + a4 x3 )ex

since the characteristic equation is (r − 1)4 = 0. We need to look for a particular solution of
d
the form yp = (c1 sin x + c2 cos x)ex . If we introduce the differential operator D = dx then the
4 x
equation given is equivalent to (D − 1) y = e sin x and we are looking for a particular solution
yp = u(x)ex . Since Dyp = (Du(x)) ex + u(x)ex we have (D − 1)yp = (Du)ex . Then we see that
(D − 1)4 yp = (D 4 u)ex = (c1 sin x + c2 cos x)ex , which from the given equation should equal ex sin x,
so c1 = 1 and c2 = 0.
yp = sin x ex
26. A series circuit has a capacitor of 2 × 10−6 farad and an inductor of 0.5 henry. If the initial charge
on the capacitor is 0.15 × 10−6 coulomb and there is no initial current, find the charge Q on the
capacitor at any time t.
Answer :
Q(t) = 0.15 × 10−6 cos 103 t

R Elementary laws of electricity give that the

voltage drop across resistor is IR,
the voltage drop across capacitor is Q/C,
and the voltage drop across inductor is L dI/dt.
Thus
dI Q
E(t) L + RI + = E(t)
L dt C
dQ
Using I = we obtain the differential equation
dt
C 1
LQ′′ + RQ′ + Q = E(t)
C
for the charge Q. The initial conditions are
′
Q(t0 ) = Q0 , Q (t0 ) = I(t0 ) = I0 .

Since R = 0 and E(t) = 0 we have a

homogeneous second order equation
Q
LQ′′ + =0
C

27. Use the method of variation of parameters to find the general solution of the differential equation.
π
y ′′ + 49y = 49 sec2 7t, 0<t<
6

Answer :
y = c1 cos 7t + c2 sin 7t − 7 + 7 sin (7t) ln |sec 7t + tan 7t|


2t, 0 ≤ t < 1

28. Determine whether f (t) = 4 − 2t, 1 ≤ t < 2 is continuous, piecewise continuous or neither

0, 2 ≤ t ≤ 3

on the interval 0 ≤ t ≤ 3.
Answer : Continuous.

29. Use the Laplace transform method to find the solution of the initial value problem

y ′′ − 4y ′ − 21y = 0, y(0) = 12, y ′ (0) = 14.

Answer :
y = 5e7t + 7e−3t
30. Find the Laplace transform Y (s) = L{y} of the solution of the initial value problem
(
′′ ′ 1, 0 ≤ t < π
y + 16y = , y(0) = 5, y ′ (0) = 3.
0, π ≤ t

Answer :
g(t) = 1 − uπ (t)
5s + 3 1 − e−πs
Y (s) = +
s2 + 16 s (s2 + 16)

31. Find the Laplace transform of the given function

(
0, t<4
f (t) = 2 .
t − 8t + 32, 4 ≤ t

Answer :
e−4s 2 + 16s2


2


f (t) = t − 8t + 32 u4 (t), F (s) = , s>0
s3

32. Find the solution of the given initial value problem

y ′′ + y = g(t), y(0) = 6, y ′ (0) = 4

where
t, 0 ≤ t < 6


g(t) = 2 .
3, 6 ≤ t

Answer :  
t t t 1
g(t) = + 3 − u(t − 6) = − (t − 6) u(t − 6), t≥0
2 2 2 2
1 1
y(t) = (t − sin t) − u6 (t) [(t − 6) − sin(t − 6)] + 6 cos t + 4 sin t
2 2

33. Use the Laplace transform method to solve the initial value problem

y ′′ − 2y ′ + 2y = e−t , y(0) = 0, y ′ (0) = 1.

Answer :
7 1 1
y = et sin t − et cos t + e−t
5 5 5
   
1 + i −6 + 3i 3i 3
34. If A = and B = , find AB
1 + 4i 2−i 2 −10i
Answer :  
−15 + 9i 33 + 63i
−8 + i −7 − 8i
 
1 −2
35. Compute the inverse of the matrix A= or show that is singular.
−4 9
Answer :  
9 2
4 1
  
1 7 0
36. Compute the inverse of the matrix  2 15 2  or show that is singular.
1 7 1
Answer :  
1 −7 14
 0 1 −2 
−1 0 1

37. Solve the system of equations or show that there is no solution.


 x1
 − x3 = 0
3x1 + x2 + x3 = 1

−x1 + x2 + 2x3 = 2


Answer :
1 7 1
x1 = − , x2 = , x3 = −
3 3 3

2t2 4et
   
38. Consider the vectors x(1) (t) = and x(2) (t) = . In what intervals are x(1) and x(2)
4t et
linearly independent?
Answer : On (−∞, 0) ∪ (0, 8) ∪ (8, ∞) .

39. Find the general solution of the system

 
2 i
x′ = x
−i 2

Answer :    
1 t 1
x = c1 e + c2 e3t
i −i
40. Find the general solution of the system
 
1 1 6
x′ =  1 6 1  x
6 1 1

Answer :      
1 1 1
x = c1  1  e8t + c2  −2  e5t + c3  0  e−5t
1 1 −1
The eigenvalues of the matrix A associated with the system are given by det (A − λI) = 0. We
evaluate the determinant by expanding using the first row

1−λ 1 6
6−λ 1 1 1 1 6−λ
1 6−λ 1 = (1 − λ) − +6 =
1 1−λ 6 1−λ 6 1
6 1 1−λ

= (1 − λ)2 (6 − λ) − (1 − λ) − (1 − λ) + 6 + 6 − 216 + 36λ

= (1 − 2λ + λ2 )(6 − λ) + 38λ − 206
= 6 − 12λ + 6λ2 − λ + 2λ2 − λ3 + 38λ − 206
= −λ3 + 8λ2 + 25λ − 200 = −λ2 (λ − 8) + 25 (λ − 8)
= (λ − 8) 25 − λ2 = (λ − 8) (5 − λ) (5 + λ)

41. Solve the initial value problem

   
′ 8 −1 3
x = x, x(0) =
6 1 −4

Describe the behavior of the solution as t → ∞.

Answer :    
22 1 7t 7 1
x= e − e2t
5 1 5 6
x1 → ∞ and x2 → ∞ as t → ∞.

 
3 2 2
42. Find the eigenvalues and the corresponding eigenvectors of the matrix A= 1 4 1 .
−2 −4 −1
Answer :  
1
λ1 = 1, v= 0 
−1
 
−2
λ2 = 2, v= 1 
0
 
0
λ3 = 3, v= 1 
−1
43. Determine the Taylor series about the point x0 = 6 for the function f (x) = x2 .
Answer :
x2 = 36 + 12(x − 6) + (x − 6)2

1
44. Determine the Taylor series about the point x0 = 2 for the function f (x) = . Also determine
1−x
the radius of convergence of the series.
Answer :
∞
1
(−1)n+1 (x − 2)n
X
=
1 − x n=0
The radius of convergence is ρ = 1.

45. Find the first three nonzero terms in each of the two linearly independent solutions of the given
differential equation (solve by means of power series about the given point x0 ).

6 + x2 y ′′ − xy ′ + 12y = 0, x0 = 0

Answer :
1
y1 (x) = 1 − x2 + x4 + . . .
6
11 11 5
y2 (x) = x − x3 + x − ...
36 288

46. Find the recurrence relation for the coefficients of a power series of y about the given point x0 .

4y ′′ + (x + 1) y ′ + 5y = 0, x0 = 2

Answer :
4 (n + 2) (n + 1) an+2 + 3 (n + 1) an+1 + (n + 5) an = 0

47. Find the first five nonzero terms in the solution of the given initial value problem.

y ′′ + xy ′ + 2y = 0, y(0) = 8, y ′ (0) = −7

Answer :
7 8
y = 8 − 7x − 8x2 + x3 + x4 + . . .
2 3
48. Show that the solution of the given differential equation

y ′ − y = 5x2

has the form

x2 x3 x4 x3 x4
   
y(x) = a0 1+x+ + + + ... + 10 + + ...
2! 3! 4! 3! 4!

where a0 is an arbitrary constant.

A point x0 is called ordinary for the differential equation y ′′ + p(x)y ′ + q(x)y = 0 if the coefficients
p(x) and q(x) are analytical at x0 , that is, their power series centered at x0 are convergent on a
neighborhood of x0 (radius of convergence ρ > 0). Otherwise, the point x0 is called singular. x0 is
called a regular singular point if the singularities of p(x) and q(x) at x0 , in terms of growth rate as
1 1
x → x0 , are not worse than those of and . More precisely, x0 is a regular singular
x − x0 (x − x0 )2
Q(x) R(x)
point if (x − x0 )p(x) and (x − x0 )2 q(x) are analytic at x0 . When p(x) = and q(x) =
P (x) P (x)
where P (x), Q(x) and R(x) are polynomials, if x0 is singular, for x0 to be regular it is sufficient
that
lim (x − x0 )p(x) and lim (x − x0 )2 q(x)
x→x0 x→x0

are finite. If x0 = 0 is a regular singular point, the method of Frobenius consists of searching for a
∞
X
solution of the type y(x) = x r an xn .
n=0

49. Find all the singular points of the given equation and determine whether each one is regular or
irregular.
(x + 2)2 (x − 5) y ′′ + 3 (x − 5) y ′ − 2 (x + 2) y = 0

Answer :
x = −2, irregular; x = 5, regular

50. Determine whether the point x = 0 is a regular singular point of the given differential equation.

x (x − 5) y ′′ + 2x2 y ′ + 8y = 0

Answer :
x = 0 is a regular singular point