Differential Equation of Higher Order

General Solution of Homogeneous Linear Differential Equation of Higher

Order 𝒏 with Constant Coefficients

𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒚𝟏 (𝒙) + 𝒄𝟐 𝒚𝟐 (𝒙) + ∙ ∙ ∙ + 𝒄𝒏 𝒚𝒏 (𝒙)

Where 𝒄𝟏 , 𝒄𝟐 , … , 𝒄𝒏 are arbitrary constants and

𝒚𝟏 (𝒙), 𝒚𝟐 (𝒙), … , 𝒚𝒏 (𝒙) are linear independent functions

Case 1. The roots of auxiliary equation are distinct real roots 𝒎

𝒎𝟏 ≠ 𝒎 𝟐 ≠ ∙ ∙ ∙ ≠ 𝒎𝒏
The general solution is 𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝒎𝟏 𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒆𝒎𝟐 𝒙 + ∙ ∙ ∙ + 𝒄𝒏 𝒆𝒎𝒏 𝒙

Find the general solution of 𝒚′′′ + 𝟏𝟏𝒚′′ + 𝟑𝟎𝒚′ = 𝟎

Auxiliary Equation: 𝑚3 + 11𝑚2 + 30𝑚 = 0

Roots of Auxiliary Equation: 𝑚(𝑚2 + 11𝑚 + 30) = 0

𝑚(𝑚 + 5)(𝑚 + 6) = 0
𝑚1 = 0; 𝑚2 = −5; 𝑚3 = −6

Substitute in 𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝒎𝟏 𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒆𝒎𝟐 𝒙 + ∙ ∙ ∙ + 𝒄𝒏 𝒆𝒎𝒏 𝒙

𝑦 = 𝑐1 𝑒 0∙𝑥 + 𝑐2 𝑒 −5𝑥 + 𝑐3 𝑒 −6𝑥

𝑦 = 𝑐1 + 𝑐2 𝑒 −5𝑥 + 𝑐3 𝑒 −6𝑥 is the general solution of 𝒚′′′ + 𝟏𝟏𝒚′′ + 𝟑𝟎𝒚′ = 𝟎
Case 2. The roots of auxiliary equation are repeated real roots 𝒎
𝒎𝟏 = 𝒎𝟐 = ∙ ∙ ∙ = 𝒎𝒏
The general solution is 𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝒎𝟏 𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒙𝒆𝒎𝟏 𝒙 + ∙ ∙ ∙ + 𝒄𝒏 𝒙𝒏−𝟏 𝒆𝒎𝟏 𝒙

Find the general solution of 𝒚(𝟑) + 𝟑𝒚′′ + 𝟑𝒚′ + 𝒚 = 𝟎

Auxiliary Equation: 𝑚3 + 3𝑚2 + 3𝑚 + 1 = 0

Roots of Auxiliary Equation: (𝑚 + 1)3 = 0

(𝑚 + 1)(𝑚 + 1)(𝑚 + 1) = 0
𝑚1 = −1; 𝑚2 = −1; 𝑚3 = −1

Substitute in 𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝒎𝟏 𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒙𝒆𝒎𝟏 𝒙 + ∙ ∙ ∙ + 𝒄𝒏 𝒙𝒏−𝟏 𝒆𝒎𝟏 𝒙

𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆−𝟏∙𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒙𝒆−𝟏∙𝒙 + 𝒄𝟑 𝒙𝟐 𝒆−𝟏∙𝒙

𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆−𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒙𝒆−∙𝒙 + 𝒄𝟑 𝒙𝟐 𝒆−∙𝒙 is the general solution of
𝒚(𝟑) + 𝟑𝒚′′ + 𝟑𝒚′ + 𝒚 = 𝟎
Case 3. The roots of auxiliary equation are imaginary roots 𝒎
𝒎 = 𝒂 ± 𝒃𝒊
Where 𝒂 and 𝒃 are real numbers and 𝒊 is imaginary number.

The general solution is 𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝒂𝒙 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝒃𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒆𝒂𝒙 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝒃𝒙

Find the general solution of 𝒚′′ + 𝟐𝒚′ + 𝟏𝟎𝒚 = 𝟎

Auxiliary Equation: 𝒎𝟐 + 𝟐𝒎 + 𝟏𝟎 = 𝟎

−𝒃 ± √𝒃𝟐−𝟒𝒂𝒄
Roots of Auxiliary Equation: Use Quadratic Formula 𝒎= 𝟐𝒂

−𝟐 ± √𝟐𝟐−𝟒(𝟏)𝟏𝟎
𝒎= 𝟐(𝟏)

−𝟐 ± √𝟒−𝟒𝟎
𝒎= 𝟐
−𝟐 ± √−𝟑𝟔
𝒎=
𝟐
−𝟐 ± 𝟔𝒊
𝒎= 𝟐

𝒎 = −𝟏 ± 𝟑𝒊
Substitute in 𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝒂𝒙 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝒃𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒆𝒂𝒙 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝒃𝒙

𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆−𝟏∙𝒙 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝟑𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒆−𝟏∙𝒙 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝟑𝒙

𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆−𝒙 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝟑𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒆−∙𝒙 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝟑𝒙 is the general solution of
𝒚′′ + 𝟐𝒚′ + 𝟏𝟎𝒚 = 𝟎
 𝒅𝟒 𝒚 𝒅𝟐 𝒚
Solve − 𝟐 𝒅𝒙𝟐 + 𝒚 = 𝟎
𝒅𝒙𝟒

Auxiliary Equation: 𝒎𝟒 − 𝟐𝒎𝟐 + 𝟏 = 𝟎

Roots of Auxiliary Equation: (𝒎𝟐 − 𝟏)𝟐 = 𝟎

(𝒎𝟐 − 𝟏)(𝒎𝟐 − 𝟏) = 𝟎
(𝒎 + 𝟏)(𝒎 − 𝟏)(𝒎 + 𝟏)(𝒎 − 𝟏) = 𝟎

(𝒎 + 𝟏)𝟐 (𝒎 − 𝟏)𝟐 = 𝟎

𝒎𝟏 = 𝒎𝟐 = −𝟏 and 𝒎𝟑 = 𝒎𝟒 = 𝟏

Substitute in 𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝒎𝟏 𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒙𝒆𝒎𝟏𝒙 + ∙ ∙ ∙ + 𝒄𝒏 𝒙𝒏−𝟏 𝒆𝒎𝟏 𝒙

𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆−𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒙𝒆−𝒙 + 𝒄𝟑 𝒆𝒙 + 𝒄𝟒 𝒙𝒆𝒙

𝒅𝟔 𝒚 𝒅𝟐 𝒚
Solve − =𝟎
𝒅𝒙𝟔 𝒅𝒙𝟐
Auxiliary Equation: 𝒎𝟔 − 𝒎𝟐 = 𝟎

Roots of Auxiliary Equation: 𝒎𝟐 (𝒎𝟒 − 𝟏) = 𝟎

𝒎𝟐 (𝒎𝟐 − 𝟏)(𝒎𝟐 + 1) = 0

𝒎𝟐 (𝒎 − 𝟏)(𝒎 + 𝟏)(𝒎𝟐 + 1) = 0
− 𝟎 ± √𝟎𝟐 −𝟒(𝟏)(𝟏)
𝒎𝟏 = 𝒎𝟐 = 𝟎; 𝒎𝟑 = 𝟏; 𝒎𝟒 = −𝟏; 𝒎 = 𝟐(𝟏)

± √−𝟒)
𝒎𝟏 = 𝒎𝟐 = 𝟎; 𝒎𝟑 = 𝟏; 𝒎𝟒 = −𝟏; 𝒎 = 𝟐
± 𝟐𝒊
𝒎𝟏 = 𝒎𝟐 = 𝟎; 𝒎𝟑 = 𝟏; 𝒎𝟒 = −𝟏; 𝒎 = 𝟐

𝒎𝟏 = 𝒎𝟐 = 𝟎; 𝒎𝟑 = 𝟏; 𝒎𝟒 = −𝟏; 𝒎 = 𝟎 ± 𝒊

Case 2
Case 1
Case 3
𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒆−𝒙 + 𝒄𝟑 𝒆𝟎𝒙 + 𝒄𝟒 𝒙𝒆𝟎𝒙 + 𝒄𝟓 𝒆𝟎𝒙 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝟏𝒙 + 𝒄𝟔 𝒆𝟎𝒙 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝟏𝒙
𝒚 = 𝒄𝟏 𝒆𝒙 + 𝒄𝟐 𝒆−𝒙 + 𝒄𝟑 + 𝒄𝟒 𝒙 + 𝒄𝟓 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝒙 + 𝒄𝟔 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝒙
𝒅𝟔 𝒚 𝒅𝟐 𝒚
is the general solution of − =𝟎
𝒅𝒙𝟔 𝒅𝒙𝟐
General nonhomogeneous linear differential equation
of Higher order 𝑛
𝒅𝒏 𝒚 𝒅𝒏−𝟏𝒚 𝒅𝒚
𝒃𝟎 (𝒙) 𝒏
+ 𝒃𝟏 ( 𝒙 ) 𝒏−𝟏
+ ∙∙∙ +𝒃𝒏−𝟏 (𝒙) + 𝒃𝒏 (𝒙)𝒚 = 𝑹(𝒙)
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙
When 𝑹(𝒙) ≠ 𝟎, it is nonhomogeneous linear differential equation of order 𝒏.

Sometimes, differential operators, 𝑫, 𝑫𝟐 ; … , 𝑫𝒏 are used for higher order

differential equation.
𝒅 𝒅𝟐 𝒅𝒏
= 𝑫; = 𝑫𝟐 ; = 𝑫𝒏
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙𝟐 𝒅𝒙𝒏

𝒅𝒏 𝒚 𝒅𝒏−𝟏𝒚 𝒅𝒚
𝒃𝟎 (𝒙) 𝒏 + 𝒃𝟏 (𝒙) 𝒏−𝟏 + ∙∙∙ +𝒃𝒏−𝟏 (𝒙) + 𝒃𝒏 (𝒙)𝒚 = 𝑹(𝒙)
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙

𝒃𝟎 (𝒙)𝑫𝒏 𝒚 + 𝒃𝟏 (𝒙)𝑫𝒏−𝟏𝒚 + ∙∙∙ +𝒃𝒏−𝟏 (𝒙)𝑫𝒚 + 𝒃𝒏 (𝒙)𝒚 = 𝑹(𝒙)

[𝒃𝟎 (𝒙)𝑫𝒏 + 𝒃𝟏 (𝒙)𝑫𝒏−𝟏 + ∙∙∙ +𝒃𝒏−𝟏 (𝒙)𝑫 + 𝒃𝒏 (𝒙)]𝒚 = 𝑹(𝒙)

Nonhomogeneous Linear Differential Equations of Higher Order

𝒏 with Constant Coefficients
𝒅𝒏 𝒚 𝒅𝒏−𝟏𝒚 𝒅𝒚
𝒂𝟎 𝒏 + 𝒂𝟏 𝒏−𝟏 + ∙∙∙ +𝒂𝒏−𝟏 + 𝒂𝒏 𝒚 = 𝑹(𝒙)
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙
Where 𝒂𝟎 , 𝒂𝟏 , ∙ ∙ ∙ 𝒂𝒏−𝟏 and 𝒂𝒏 are constants.

(𝒂𝟎 𝑫𝒏 + 𝒂𝟏 𝑫𝒏−𝟏 + . . . + 𝒂𝒏−𝟏 𝑫 + 𝒂𝒏 )𝒚 = 𝑹(𝒙)

General Solution of Nonhomogeneous Differential Equation of
Higher Order 𝒏 with Constant Coefficients
𝒚 = 𝒚𝒄 + 𝒚𝒑
Where 𝒚 is the general solution;

𝒚𝒄 is the complementary solution; and

𝒚𝒑 is the particular solution

Case 1. When 𝑹(𝒙) is polynomial function

Find the general solution of the following:

a) (𝑫𝟐 − 𝟓𝑫 + 𝟔)𝒚 = 𝟒𝒙𝟐 − 𝟑𝒙 + 𝟓

b) (𝑫𝟑 + 𝟕𝑫𝟐 + 𝟏𝟐𝑫)𝒚 = 𝟓𝒙𝟐 − 𝟒

For a) (𝑫𝟐 − 𝟓𝑫 + 𝟔)𝒚 = 𝟒𝒙𝟐 − 𝟑𝒙 + 𝟓

Remember for nonhomogeneous linear differential equation of order 𝒏 with constant

coefficients, the general solution is

𝒚 = 𝒚𝒄 + 𝒚𝒑

Solve for 𝑦𝑐 : (𝐷2 − 5𝐷 + 6)𝑦 = 0

Auxiliary equation: 𝑚2 − 5𝑚 + 6 = 0

Roots: (𝑚 − 3)(𝑚 − 2) = 0

𝑚1 = 3; 𝑚2 = 2

Apply Case 1:

𝑦𝑐 = 𝑐1𝑒 3𝑥 + 𝑐2 𝑒 2𝑥
Solve for 𝑦𝑝 : 𝑦𝑝 = 𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝐵𝑥 + 𝐶 where A, B and C are constants to be solved.

𝑦𝑝 is derived from 𝑅(𝑥). And

always check if the terms in the
𝑦𝑝 are independent functions as
compared to 𝑦𝑐

𝑦𝑝 = 𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝐵𝑥 + 𝐶

𝑦𝑝′ = 2𝐴𝑥 + 𝐵

𝑦𝑝′′ = 2A

Substitute in (𝑫𝟐 − 𝟓𝑫 + 𝟔)𝒚 = 𝟒𝒙𝟐 − 𝟑𝒙 + 𝟓

𝟐𝑨 − 𝟓(𝟐𝑨𝒙 + 𝑩) + 𝟔(𝑨𝒙𝟐 + 𝑩𝒙 + 𝑪) = 𝟒𝒙𝟐 − 𝟑𝒙 + 𝟓

Equate corresponding coefficients of 𝒙𝟐 , 𝒙 and constants.
𝟐
Coefficients 𝒙𝟐 : 𝟔𝑨 = 𝟒; ∴ 𝑨= 𝟑
𝟐 𝟏𝟏
Coefficients 𝒙 : −𝟏𝟎𝑨 + 𝟔𝑩 = −𝟑 ; −𝟏𝟎 (𝟑) + 𝟔𝑩 = −𝟑 ; ∴ 𝑩 = 𝟏𝟖
𝟐 𝟏𝟏 𝟏𝟐𝟏
Constants: 𝟐𝑨 − 𝟓𝑩 + 𝟔𝑪 = 𝟓; 𝟐 (𝟑) − 𝟓 (𝟏𝟖) + 𝟔𝑪 = 𝟓; ∴ 𝑪 = 𝟏𝟎𝟖

Substitute in 𝑦𝑝 = 𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝐵𝑥 + 𝐶
𝟐 𝟏𝟏 𝟏𝟐𝟏
𝑦𝑝 = 𝑥2 + 𝑥+
𝟑 𝟏𝟖 𝟏𝟎𝟖
Substitute in 𝒚 = 𝒚𝒄 + 𝒚 𝒑
𝟐 𝟏𝟏 𝟏𝟐𝟏
𝑐1 𝑒 3𝑥 + 𝑐2 𝑒 2𝑥 + 𝟑 𝑥 2 + 𝟏𝟖 𝑥 + 𝟏𝟎𝟖 is the general solution of

(𝑫𝟐 − 𝟓𝑫 + 𝟔)𝒚 = 𝟒𝒙𝟐 − 𝟑𝒙 + 𝟓

Case 2. When 𝑹(𝒙) is exponential function

Find the general solution of the following

a) (𝑫𝟐 − 𝟖𝑫 + 𝟕)𝒚 = 𝒆−𝟑𝒙

b) (𝑫𝟑 + 𝟏𝟎𝑫𝟐 + 𝟐𝟓𝑫)𝒚 = 𝒆𝟑𝒙 + 𝒆−𝒙 + 𝟒𝒙

For a) (𝑫𝟐 − 𝟖𝑫 + 𝟕)𝒚 = 𝟏𝟏𝒆−𝟑𝒙

Solve for 𝑦𝑐 :

(𝑫𝟐 − 𝟖𝑫 + 𝟕)𝒚 = 𝟎
Auxiliary Equation: 𝑚2 − 8𝑚 + 7 = 0

Roots: (𝑚 − 1)(𝑚 − 7) = 0

𝑚1 = 1; 𝑚2 = 7

𝑦𝑐 = 𝑐1 𝑒 𝑥 + 𝑐2 𝑒 7𝑥
Solve for 𝑦𝑝 : 𝑦𝑝 = 𝐴𝑒 −3𝑥
𝑦𝑝′ = −3𝐴𝑒 −3𝑥
𝑦𝑝′′ = 9𝐴𝑒 −3𝑥
Substitute in (𝑫𝟐 − 𝟖𝑫 + 𝟕)𝒚 = 𝟏𝟏𝒆−𝟑𝒙

9𝐴𝑒 −3𝑥 − 8(−3𝐴𝑒 −3𝑥 ) + 7𝐴𝑒 −3𝑥 = 11𝑒 −3𝑥

Coefficient of 𝑒 −3𝑥 : 9𝐴 + 24𝐴 + 7𝐴 = 11
11
𝐴= 40

Substitute in 𝑦𝑝 = 𝐴𝑒 −3𝑥
 11
𝑦𝑝 = 40 𝑒 −3𝑥

11
Substitute in 𝑦 = 𝑐1 𝑒𝑥 + 𝑐2 𝑒7𝑥 + 𝑒−3𝑥
40

Case 3. When 𝑹(𝒙) is sine or cosine functions

a) ( 𝑫𝟐 − 𝟒𝑫 + 𝟒)𝒚 = 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝟑𝒙
b) 𝑫𝟒 − 𝟒𝑫𝟑 + 𝟖𝑫)𝒚 = 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝟑𝒙 + 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒙