Chapter 3

Second Order Differential Equations

3.1 Homogeneous Equations with constant

coefficients

A second order linear DE is written in the form

P (t ) y Q (t ) y R (t ) y G (t ) (1)
y p (t ) y q (t ) y g (t ) (2)

Q (t ) R (t ) G (t )
where g (t )
P (t ) and P (t ) .
p (t ) , q (t )
P (t )

Note: If the DE can't be written in the form (1)

and (2) then it is a nonlinear DE.

1
An initial value problem (IVP) consists of a DE
such as in (1) and (2) with a pair of initial
conditions

y (t 0 ) y 0, y (t 0 ) y 0 (3)

Where y 0 and y 0 are given numbers.

Definition: A second order linear equation is said

to be homogeneous if the term G (t ) in DE (1) or
the term g (t ) in DE (2) is zero for all t .

Otherwise the DE is called a nonhomogeneous.

Note: In this chapter, we will concentrate our

attention on DEs in which the functions P ,Q and
R in DE (1) are constants, that is in the form

ay by cy 0 (4)

Where a, b and c are constants.

2
To solve DE (4), suppose y e rt
is a solution
of the DE (4).

y re r t , y r 2e r t

Now substitute in DE (4), we get

ar 2e r t bre r t ce r t 0
e r t (ar 2 br c ) 0

Since e r t 0 then

ar 2 br c 0 (5)

Equation (5) is called the Characteristic equation

for the DE (4).

Assume the two roots of equation (5) are two

different real roots, r1 and r2 , r1 r2 .

3
Then 1
y e r1 t
and y 2 e r2 t are two solutions of

the DE (4). The general solution of the DE (4) is

given by

y c1 y 1 c 2 y 2 c1e r1 t c 2e r2 t (6)

Example 1: Solve the DE

y y 0.

4
Example 2: Find the general solution of the DE

y 5 y 6 y 0.

Example 3: Find the solution of the IVP

y 5 y 6 y 0, y (0) 2, y (0) 3.

5
Example 4: Find the solution of the IVP

4 y 8 y 3 y 0, y (0) 2, y (0) 3.

H.W. Problems 1-18 Pages 142.

6
Example 5(Q.13, page 142). Solve the IVP

y 5 y 3 y 0, y (0) 1, y (0) 0.

Example 6(Q.18, page 142).

Find a DE whose general solution is

t

y c1e 2
c 2e 2t