UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE
HFM307:Partial differential equations
Time : hours
We shall attempt ALL questions on this sheet!
A1. (a) Find the canonical form of the Tricomi equation uxx − xuyy = 0, [12]
(b) Use the method of the characteristic curves to find a general solution to the partial
differential equation
∂u ∂u
+3 = uey . [10]
∂x ∂y
∂ 2u ∂u
(c) Show that the one dimensional heat equation α 2 = is parabolic, then
∂t ∂t
choose the appropriate characteristic variables and write the equation in equiva-
lent canonical form. [8]
A2. (a) Show that the one dimensional wave equation utt = c2 uxx is hyperbolic [6]
(b) Find the equivalent canonical form, [8]
(c) Find the general solution of the hyperbolic equation in (a) using de Alembert’s
method, [6]
X nπct nπct nπx
(d) Given that u(x, t) = (An cos + Bn sin ) sin is a solution to the
l l l
partial differential equation utt = c2 uxx for 0 < x < L and u(0, t) = 0 = u(l, t),
find the coefficients An and Bn . [10]
A3. (a) Consider waves in a resistant medium that satisfy the problem:
utt = c2 uxx − rut for 0 < x < 1 with boundary condition: u = 0 at both ends
and initial conditions u(x, 0) = φ(x), ut (x, 0) = ψ(x), where r is a constant
and 0 < r < 2πc L
.Using the method of separation of variables deduce the series
expansion of the solution. [15]
(b) Solve the diffusion problem with Dirichlet boundary conditions and initial
conditions
ut = kuxx ,
u(0, t) = 0 = u(l, t), (1)
u(x, 0) = 1 = φ(x).
∞
nπ 2 nπx
An e− (
X
given that u(x, t) = ) kt sin( ). [15]
n=1 l l
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∂ 2y ∂u
A4. (a) Show that the one dimensional heat equation α 2
= is parabolic, [4]
∂x ∂x
(b) Hence derive the equivalent canonical form of the one dimensional heat equation
in (a), [9]
(c) Use the method of separation of variables to find a general solution to the one
dimensional wave equation in (a), [10]
∂z ∂z
A5. (a) Find the general solution of the partial differential equation 2x − 3y using
∂x ∂y
separation of variable method, [6]
(b) Classify the following partial differential equation uxx + x2 uyy = 0, [4]
(c) Hence derive the equivalent canonical form of the partial differential equation in
(b) above, [8]
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