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Nonhomogeneous equations

Driving forces: homogeneous solution plus a particular solution.

With a forcing term on the right, the general solution is the homogeneous solution plus any one particular solution. Undetermined coefficients guesses the particular solution in the shape of the forcing (exponential, polynomial, sinusoid); variation of parameters handles the rest.

Exemplo trabalhado: y'' - 3y' + 2y = e^x

Differential-Equations · Differential-Equations

Solve y'' - 3y' + 2y = e^x

2 y{\left(x \right)} - 3 \frac{d}{d x} y{\left(x \right)} + \frac{d^{2}}{d x^{2}} y{\left(x \right)} = e^{x}

Passo a passo

  1. 2 y{\left(x \right)} - 3 \frac{d}{d x} y{\left(x \right)} + \frac{d^{2}}{d x^{2}} y{\left(x \right)} = e^{x}

    The differential equation.

  2. \text{order } 2

    Order 2: the highest derivative present.

  3. \text{Undetermined coefficients}

    Solve the homogeneous part from the characteristic equation, then guess a particular solution shaped like the right-hand side.

  4. r^{2} - 3 r + 2 = 0

    Characteristic equation of the homogeneous part (substitute y = e^{rx}).

  5. r = 2,\ r = 1

    Its roots.

  6. y{\left(x \right)} = \left(C_{1} + C_{2} e^{x} - x\right) e^{x}

    General solution (C₁, C₂ … are arbitrary constants).

  7. \checkmark

    Verified: substituting the solution back into the equation gives 0.

Revelar a resposta
y{\left(x \right)} = \left(C_{1} + C_{2} e^{x} - x\right) e^{x}

Symbols used here

f'(x),\ \frac{dy}{dx}
derivative
Instantaneous rate of change; slope of the graph.
e
Euler's number
2.71828…, the base whose exponential is its own derivative.
\leq,\ \geq
less/greater than or equal
Inequalities that allow equality; < and > exclude it.
\lim_{x \to a} f(x)
limit
The value f(x) approaches as x approaches a.
\int f(x)\,dx,\ \int_a^b
integral
Antiderivative (indefinite) or signed area from a to b (definite).
y',\ y''
first and second derivative of y
Prime notation for derivatives with respect to x (or t).
C,\ C_1,\ C_2
arbitrary constants
Constants of integration fixed by initial conditions.
\frac{\partial u}{\partial t},\ \nabla^2 u
partial derivative in time, Laplacian
Rate of change in time; sum of second partials (the diffusion operator).

How to: Nonhomogeneous equations

  1. The differential equation.
  2. Order 2: the highest derivative present.
  3. Solve the homogeneous part from the characteristic equation, then guess a particular solution shaped like the right-hand side.
  4. Characteristic equation of the homogeneous part (substitute y = e^{rx}).
  5. Its roots.
  6. General solution (C₁, C₂ … are arbitrary constants).
  7. Verified: substituting the solution back into the equation gives 0.

Questions people ask

What is a differential equation?

An equation whose unknown is a function, relating it to its own derivatives. "The rate of growth is proportional to the population" is y′ = ky, and solving it means finding y as a function of time.

Why does the solution have arbitrary constants?

Integrating loses information: many functions share the same derivative. An n-th order equation has n constants, fixed by n initial or boundary conditions.

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