METHODS OF MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS

ASSIGNMENT # 01
Submission Date (FEBUARY 24, 2025)

BY
HIRA ISHFAQ
ROLL #
21021509-071

MATH-406 (METHODS OF MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS)

BS Mathematics (8’B’)

Submitted To:
Dr Jamshed

Department Of Mathematics

UNIVERSITY OF GUJRAT (HAFIZ HAYAT CAMPUS)

Contents
PREFACE:.....................................................................................................................................................3
GREENS FUNCTION...................................................................................................................................4
Definition...................................................................................................................................................4
Key Properties............................................................................................................................................4
Applications...............................................................................................................................................4
Construction of the Green's function for a fractional differential equation (FDE)........................................4
Problem Statement:....................................................................................................................................4
Green's Function for the Fractional Differential Equation.............................................................5
Solution Using Green’s Function...........................................................................................................6
Numerical Evaluation............................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................7
Plotting.......................................................................................................................................................8
Tabulating..................................................................................................................................................8
Simulation Interpretation...............................................................................................................................8
SOURCES......................................................................................................................................................8

2
PREFACE:
In the realm of differential equations, Green's functions serve as powerful tools for solving
boundary value problems (BVPs). Their extension to fractional differential equations (FDEs)
provides a deeper understanding of systems governed by non-integer order derivatives. This
assignment delves into the construction of Green's functions for fractional differential equations
in ordinary differential equations (ODEs) with boundary value problems. The study of such
equations has significant applications in physics, engineering, and other applied sciences, where
fractional calculus is used to model memory and hereditary properties of materials and processes.

This assignment presents a structured analysis of the construction of Green’s functions for
fractional differential equations, followed by a practical example demonstrating their use. By the
end of this work, the reader will gain insights into the mathematical framework and practical
applications of fractional Green’s functions in solving BVPs.

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GREENS FUNCTION
A Green's function is a mathematical construct used to solve linear inhomogeneous ordinary
differential equations (ODEs). It represents the system's response to a point source (modeled by
the Dirac delta function) and helps in constructing solutions with specific boundary conditions.

Definition
For a linear differential operator L, the Green's function G(x,s) satisfies:

LG(x,s) = δ(x−s),
where δ(x−s) is the Dirac delta function. The solution to the inhomogeneous ODE:

Lu(x) = f(x)
can be expressed as:

4
 b

u(x) = ∫ G ( x , s ) f ( s ) ds
a

Key Properties
Linearity: Applicable only to linear operators.
Boundary Conditions: Constructed to meet specific boundary conditions.
Superposition: Solutions are obtained by integrating the product of G(x,s) and the source
function f(s).

Applications
Green's functions are used in various fields such as physics, engineering, and mathematical
modeling to simplify complex differential equations into manageable integral forms.

Construction of the Green's function for a fractional differential equation

(FDE)

Problem Statement:
Consider the following Caputo fractional differential equation of order α (where 0 <α< 1 );

∝
D u ( x )=f (x) , 0< x ≤1

with the boundary condition:

u (0) = 0 , u(1)=0

The source term is:

f(x)=x(1−x)
Here, D∝ denotes the Caputo fractional derivative of order α and f(x) is a given source term.

Green's Function for the Fractional Differential Equation

The Green's function G (x ,ξ) satisfies:
∝
D G ( x , c )=δ ( x −ξ)
with the boundary condition:

5
 G(0 , ξ) = 0 ,G( 1 , ξ )
This function represents the system's response to a unit impulse applied at x = ξ.

General Form of Green's Function

For a fractional differential equation, the Green’s function typically has the following form:

𝐺(𝑥,𝜉)= { }
A ( ξ )( x−ξ ) α −1 , 0≤ x <ξ
B ( ε ) ( x −ε ) a−1 , ε< x ≤ 1

Where

continuity/jump conditions at 𝑥=𝜉.

A(ξ) and B(ξ) are constants that must be determined from the boundary conditions and the

Continuity Condition
The Green's function must be continuous at x=ξ. This gives the condition,

A(ξ)ξ a−1 =B(ξ)ξ a−1

This implies that:

A(ξ)=B(ξ)

Jump Condition
The Green's function also satisfies the jump condition for the fractional derivative at
x= ξ:

[ Dα G ( x , ξ ) ] with x=ξ +,x=ξ − =1

This means that the jump in the fractional derivative at x=ξ is equal to 1, which leads to the
condition:
B(ξ)〖ξ 〗^(a-1) = A(ξ)〖ξ 〗^(a-1)
Using A(ξ)=B(ξ), this simplifies to:
B(ξ)〖ξ 〗^(a-1) - A(ξ)〖ξ 〗^(a-1) =1
This gives us the relationship:
1
B(ξ)= α , A (ξ)=1/( 2ξ α −1)
2 ξ −1
Therefore, the Green’s function G(x,ξ) becomes:

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 { }
1
( x−ξ ) α −10 ≤ x< ξ
α
2 ξ −1
G(x,ξ)=
1
α
( x −ξ )α −1 ξ< x ≤1
2ξ −1

Solution Using Green’s Function

Now that we have the Green’s function, the solution to the BVP is given by:
1

u(x)=∫ G ¿ ¿ ξ)f(ξ)dξ
0

substitute G(x,ξ) and f(x)=x(1−x):

1

u(x)=∫ 1 /(2 ξ −1)(x−ξ) −1ξ(1-ξ)dξ

α α

the solution u(x)u(x)u(x) is given by:

1 α
1 (x−ξ ) −1 ξ(1−ξ)
u(x)= ∫
20 ξ
α −1
dξ

Numerical Evaluation

The above integral may not have a simple closed-form solution for general α\alphaα, so in
practice, it is often computed numerically for specific values of α\alphaα and x.For a specific
example, if α=0.5, you can numerically integrate the expression to get the solution u(x).

Conclusion
The solution to the boundary value problem involves finding the Green’s function, which
satisfies both the continuity and jump conditions, and then using it to evaluate the solution u(x)
via the integral. In general, this approach can be applied to any fractional differential equation
with appropriate boundary conditions, and for certain cases, the integrals can be evaluated
numerically or analytically.

MATLAB Code for Plotting and Tabulating the Solution:

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Simmulation:

Explanation of the MATLAB Code:

Key Changes:

Integral Calculation: The integral_term function is used properly inside the integral()
function for numerical integration over ξ.

Handling the Green’s Function: The Green's function is correctly defined with respect to
the fractional order α.

Plotting: The plot will display the solution u(x) as a function of x, based on the Green’s
function and source term f(x).

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Plotting:
Creates a figure and plots u(x) against x with a line width of 2.
Labels the x-axis and y-axis, and sets the title to indicate the value of α.
Enables the grid for better visualization.

Tabulating:
Displays a table with two columns: x and u(x), showing the computed values.

Simulation Interpretation:
Running this MATLAB code will produce a plot of u(x) against x and display a table of
corresponding values. The plot will illustrate how the solution behaves for the given fractional
order α. The table provides numerical values of u(x) at each point in the domain, which can be
useful for further analysis or comparison with experimental data.

SOURCES
Podlubny, I. (1997). The Laplace transform method for linear differential equations of the fractional order. arXiv
preprint funct-an/9710005.

Hernandez-Martinez, E., Valdés-Parada, F., Alvarez-Ramirez, J., Puebla, H., & Morales-Zarate, E. (2016). A
Green’s function approach for the numerical solution of a class of fractional reaction–diffusion
equations. Mathematics and Computers in Simulation, 121, 133-145.

Bonilla, B., Rivero, M., & Trujillo, J. J. (2007). On systems of linear fractional differential equations with constant
coefficients. Applied Mathematics and Computation, 187(1), 68-78.