ODEs, Curves and Dynamics A, 2022 Homework Sheet, Week 7
2nd order ODEs
Submit on Blackboard a file/scan of your answers to 1a,c,e,h(ii),m,o,5c.
1. Solve the following equations. In each case, write down the most general function that satisfies
both the differential equation and the auxiliary conditions, if any is given.
(a)
y00 − 2y = 0 .
(b)
d2 x dx dx
2
− 4 + x = 0 , x (0) = 0 , (0) = 1 .
dt dt dt
(c)
v00 − 2v0 + 4v = 0 , v(0) = 0 , v(1) = 1 .
(d)
y00 − y0 = e2x .
(e)
u00 + u = sin(2x ) .
(f)
y00 + y = x2 , y(0) = 0 , y(π ) = π 2 − 4 .
(g) i.
φ00 − 5φ0 + 6φ = 0 .
ii.
φ00 − 5φ0 + 6φ = 0 , φ(1) = 0 .
iii.
φ00 − 5φ0 + 6φ = 0 , φ(1) = 0 , φ0 (1) = 2 .
(h) i.
u00 − 4u0 + 8u = 0 , u(0) = u(1) = 0 .
ii.
u00 − 4u0 + 8u = 0 , u(0) = u(π/2) = 0 .
(i)
z00 − 8z0 + 16z = 0 .
(j)
9ψ00 + 6ψ0 + ψ = 0 , ψ(0) = 0 , ψ0 (0) = 1 .
(k)
3
106 v00 + e−π v0 + 31!v = 0 , v(0) = v0 (0) = 0 .
(l)
u00 − 2u0 + 2u = e−2x , u(0) = u0 (0) = 0 .
(m)
ẍ − 25x = 10e−5t
(n)
y00 + 2y0 = x , y(0) = 1 .
(o)
y00 + 2y0 + y = e− x
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ODEs, Curves and Dynamics A, 2022 Homework Sheet, Week 7
2. Explain why the following argument is incorrect:
Problem: Solve
d2 y dy
2
+ y = x , y (0) = 0 , (0) = 2 .
dx dx
“Solution”: The complementary function is yc ( x ) = A cos x + B sin x. The auxilliary conditions
imply A = 0 and B = 2. y p ( x ) = x is a particular integral. So the solution is
y( x ) = 2 sin x + x .
3. The equation
d2 x dx
(t) + 2µ (t) + ω 2 x (t) = 0
dt2 dt
describes a vibrating system where µ is a known positive constant measuring the friction in the
system, and ω is another known constant measuring the frequency of the oscillations.
(a) Write down the general solution.
(b) What is the behaviour of the solution for large t? For example, does the (absolute value of
the) solution grow or decay with t? Show that the behaviour varies according to the values
of µ and ω 2 and describe in qualitative terms the different kinds of behaviour.
4. Find the general solution of
y00 + 4y0 + 3y = f ( x )
where
(a) f ( x ) = e2x (b) f ( x ) = x2 (c) f ( x ) = sin(5x ) (d) f ( x ) = e− x .
5. For each of the following pairs of functions, show that the two functions are linearly indepen-
dent:
(a) {cos( x ), sin( x )}
(b) {eλ1 x , eλ2 x }, λ1 6= λ2
(c) {eλx , xeλx }
6. The angle, θ, that an [undamped] pendulum moving in a plane makes with the vertical is well
described by
d2 θ g
= − θ;
dt2 l
for small θ. The constants g and l are the acceleration due to gravity and length of the pendulum
respectively. Find the general solution and hence the solutions satisfying the following boundary
conditions:
(a) θ (0) = a > 0; θ 0 (0) = 0
(b) θ (0) = 0; θ 0 (0) = b > 0
(c) θ (0) = a > 0; θ 0 (0) = b > 0. In this latter case write the solution in the form θ (t) =
C sin(αt + β) and hence find the maximum value of θ.
c University of Bristol 2022. This material is copyright of the University unless explicitly stated otherwise. It is
provided exclusively for educational purposes at the University and is to be downloaded or copied for your private study
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