UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS

MAT3706 OCT/NOV 2023

ORDINARY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

Examiners:
First: Prof. H. Jafari Second: Dr C. Agyingi External: Prof. B. Muatjetjeja
Duration 2 and half Hours 100 Marks

Welcome to the MODULE MAT3706 exam.

This paper consists of 4 pages. Closed book examination.

Instructions:
• This web based examination question paper remains the property of the University of South
Africa and may not be distributed from the Unisa platform.
• Declaration: I have neither given nor received aid on this examination.
• This is a closed book and online examination which you have to write within 2 and half hours and
submit online through the eAssessment using the link:
https://cset.myexams.unisa.ac.za/
• This exam is IRIS invigilated (you cannot use a cell phone during this exam)
• This examination allows single PDF attachment only as part of your submission.
• Use of a any calculator is NOT allowed
• Answer All Questions and Submit within the stipulated timeframe.
• Late submission will not be accepted.
• ALL CALCULATIONS MUST BE SHOWN.

Additional student instructions: OCT/NOV 2023 online examination rules.

Students are expected to familiarise themselves with online examination rules before their examination
sittings.
Examination sessions commence at the time indicated on the final examination timetable. You are required
to adhere strictly to the specified times.

i. For file upload/take-home examinations:

1. Students must upload their answer scripts in a single PDF file on the official myExams platform
(answer scripts must not be password protected or uploaded as “read-only” files).

2. NO e-mailed scripts will be accepted.

3. Students are advised to preview submissions (answer scripts) to ensure legibility and that the
correct answer script file has been uploaded.

4. Students are permitted to resubmit their answer scripts should their initial submission be
unsatisfactory.

5. Incorrect file format and uncollated answer scripts will not be considered.

6. Incorrect answer scripts and/or submissions made on unofficial examination platforms (including
the invigilator cellphone application) will not be marked and no opportunity will be granted for
resubmission.

Open Rubric
7. A mark awarded for an incomplete submission will be the student’s final mark. No opportunity
for resubmission will be granted.

8. A mark awarded for illegible scanned submission will be the student’s final mark. No opportunity
for resubmission will be granted.

9. Only the last file uploaded and submitted will be marked.

10. Submissions will only be accepted from registered student accounts.

11. Students who have not utilised invigilation or proctoring tools will be deemed to have
transgressed Unisa’s examination rules and will have their marks withheld.

12. Students have 48 hours from the day of their examination to upload their recordings in the IRIS
Invigilator App. Failure to do so will result in students deemed not to have utilised the IRIS
invigilation or proctoring tools.

13. Students must complete the online declaration of their work when submitting. Students
suspected of dishonest conduct during the examinations will be subjected to disciplinary
processes. Students may not communicate with other students or request assistance from other
students during examinations. Plagiarism is a violation of academic integrity, and students who
do plagiarise or copy verbatim from published work will be in violation of the Policy on Academic
Integrity and the Student Disciplinary Code and may be referred to a disciplinary hearing. Unisa
has zero tolerance for plagiarism and/or any other forms of academic dishonesty.

14. Students are provided 30 minutes to submit their answer scripts after the official examination
time. Students who experience technical challenges should report to the SCSC on 080 000 1870
or their College exam support centers (refer to the Get help during the examinations by
contacting the Student Communication Service Centre (unisa.ac.za)) within 30 minutes. Queries
received after one hour of the official examination duration time will not be responded to.
Submissions made after the official examination time will be rejected by the examination
regulations and will not be marked.

15. Non-adherence to the processes for uploading examination responses will not qualify the student
for any special concessions or future assessments.

16. Queries that are beyond Unisa’s control include the following:
a. Personal network or service provider issues
b. Load shedding/limited space on personal computer
c. Crashed computer
d. Using work computers that block access to myExams site (work firewall challenges)
e. Unlicensed software (eg license expires during exams)
Postgraduate students experiencing the above challenges are advised to apply for an aegrotat
and submit supporting evidence within ten days of the examination session. Students will not be
able to apply for an aegrotat for a third examination opportunity. Postgraduate/Undergraduate
students experiencing the above challenges in their second examination opportunity will have to
reregister for the affected module.

17. Students experiencing technical challenges should contact the SCSC on 080 000 1870 or via e-
mail at [email protected] or refer to the Get help during the examinations by contacting
the Student Communication Service Centre (unisa.ac.za) for the list of additional contact
numbers. Communication received from your myLife account will be considered.

[TURN OVER]
 3 MAT3706
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2023

QUESTION 1

(1.1) Determine whether the system (8)

ẋ + ẏ + x + y = 2e3t ,
ẋ + ẏ 3x 3y = e t,

is degenerate. In the degenerate case, decide whether it has no solution or infinitely many solutions. If
it has no solution, explain why, else find the general form of the solutions.

(1.2) Solve the system: (15)

ẋ 4x + y = 3e4t ,
2x ẏ + y = 2t,

by using the elimination method (operator method).

Hint. Eliminate x first.
[23]

QUESTION 2

(2.1) Use the eigenvalue-eigenvectors to solve the initial value problem (9)
 
1 2 2
Ẋ = X, X(0) = .
1 3 2

(2.2) Use the eigenvalue-eigenvectors to solve the initial value problem (15)
2 3 2 3
4 3 4 1
Ẋ = 4 0 1 3 5 X, X(0) = 4 0 5 .
0 0 4 2

[24]

QUESTION 3

We know that if is a fundamental matrix of Ẋ = AX at t0 = 0 and F(t) is continuous in t then

Z t
1
Xp (t) = (t) (s)F (s) ds.
t0

is a particular solution of Ẋ = AX + F(t).

Use this result with t0 = 0 to find a general solution of

 
0 2 0
Ẋ = X+ .
2 0 8et

[15]

[TURN OVER]
 4 MAT3706
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2023

QUESTION 4

(4.1) Write the companion system for the equation given below. (5)

y (3) y (2) + y sin t = t.

(4.2) Find the series solution of the blow system of first order di↵erential equations using the power series (13)
method 0 1 0 1
1 3 3 2
Ẋ = @0 0 1A X, with X(0) = @1A .
0 1 0 0
Write your final answer in terms of the appropriate trigonometric functions.
[18]

QUESTION 5

We know that if is a normalized fundamental matrix of Ẋ = AX at t0 = 0; then

(s + t) = (s) (t),

for all real numbers s and t. Use this hypothesis and

(5.1) Show that for all real numbers s and t (5)

(t) (s) = (s) (t).

(5.2) Show that if is a normalized fundamental matrix at t0 = 0; then (5)

1
(t) = ( t) for all t.

[10]

QUESTION 6

Classify the critical points of the plane autonomous system corresponding to the second order non-linear di↵erential
equation:
ẍ ↵(1 x3 )ẋ + 4x = 0.
where ↵ 6= 0 is a real constant.
[10]

TOTAL MARKS: [100]

UNISA 2023