Multiple-Choice Test

Runge-Kutta 4th Order Method

Ordinary Differential Equations
COMPLETE SOLUTION SET

1. To solve the ordinary differential equation

dy
3  xy 2  sin x, y  0   5 ,
dx
by Runge-Kutta 4th order method, you need to rewrite the equation as
dy
(A)  sin x  xy 2 , y  0   5
dx
(B)
dy
dx

1
3
 
sin x  xy 2 , y  0   5

dy 1 xy 3 
(C)    cos x  , y  0   5
dx 3 3 
dy 1
(D)  sin x , y  0  5
dx 3

Solution
The correct answer is (B)

dy
3  xy 2  sin x, y  0   5
dx
is rewritten as
dy
3  sin x  xy 2 , y  0   5
dx
  sin x  xy 2 , y  0   5
dy 1
dx 3
 dy
2. Given 3  5 y 2  sin x, y  0.3  5 and using a step size of h  0.3 , the value of y  0.9 
dx
using Runge-Kutta 4th order method is most nearly
(A) –0.25011  10 40
(B) –4297.4
(C) –1261.5
(D) 0.88498

Solution
The correct answer is (C)

dy
3  5 y 2  sin x, y  0.3  5
dx
is rewritten as
dy 1
 
 sin x  5 y 2 , y  0.3  5
dx 3
the Runge-Kutta 4th order method is
1
yi 1  yi   k1  2k2  2k3  k4  h
6
where
k1  f  xi , yi 
 1 1 
k 2  f  xi  h, yi  k1h 
 2 2 
 1 1 
k3  f  xi  h, yi  k2 h 
 2 2 
k4  f  xi  h, yi  k3h 
for i  0, x0  0.3, y0  5
k1  f  x0 , y 0 
 f  0.3,5
1

 sin 0.3  5 5
3
2

 41.5682
 1 1 
k 2  f  x 0  h, y 0  k1 h 
 2 2 
 1 1 
 f  0.3   0.3,5   41.5682  0.3 
 2 2 
 f  0.45,1.23523


1
3
sin 0.45  5  1.23523
2

 2.398
  1 1 
k 3  f  x0  h, y 0  k 2 h 
 2 2 
 1 1 
 f  0.3   0.3,5   2.398  0.3 
 2 2 
 f  0.45,4.6403
1

 sin 0.45  5 4.6403
3
 2

 35.7423
k 4  f  x 0  h, y 0  k 3 h 
 f  0.3  0.3,5  35.7423  0.3
 f  0.6,5.72269
1
  sin 0.6  5  5.72269 
3
 54.3938
1
y1  y 0   k1  2k 2  2k 3  k 4  h
6
1
 5    41.5682  2  2.398  2  35.7423  54.3938  0.3
6
 3.61213
x1  x 0  h
 0.3  0.3
 0 .6

for i  1, x1  0.6, y1  3.61213

k1  f  x1 , y1 
 f  0.6,3.61213
1

 sin 0.6  5  3.61213
3
2

 21.5576
 1 1 
k 2  f  x1  h, y1  k1 h 
 2 2 
 1 1 
 f  0.6   0.3,3.61213   21.5576  0.3 
 2 2 
 f  0.75,6.84577


1
3

sin 0.75  5  6.84577
2

 77.8804
  1 1 
k 3  f  x1  h, y1  k 2 h 
 2 2 
 1 1 
 f  0.6   0.3,3.61213   77.8804  0.3 
 2 2 
 f  0.75,15.2942


1
 sin 0.75  5  15.2942
3
 2

 389.627
k 4  f  x 0  h, y 0  k 3 h 
 f  0.6  0.3,3.61213  389.627  0.3
 f  0.9,120.5
1
  sin 0.9  5  120.5 
3
 24200.2
1
y 2  y1   k1  2k 2  2k 3  k 4  h
6
1
  3.61213    21.5576  2  77.8804  2  389.627  24200.2   0.3
6
 1261.45
x 2  x1  h
 0. 6  0. 3
 0. 9
y  x 2   1261.45
y  0.9   1261.45
 dy
3. Given 3  y 2  e x , y  0.3  5 , and using a step size of h  0.3 , the best estimate of
dx
dy
 0.9 Runge-Kutta 4th order method is most nearly
dx
(A) -1.6604
(B) -1.1785
(C) -0.45831
(D) 2.7270

Solution
The correct answer is (A)

dy
3  y 2  e x , y  0.3  5
dx
is rewritten as
dy 1 x
 
 e  y 2 , y  0.3  5
dx 3
the Runge-Kutta 4th order method is
1
yi 1  yi   k1  2k2  2k3  k4  h
6
where
k1  f  xi , yi 
 1 1 
k 2  f  xi  h, yi  k1h 
 2 2 
 1 1 
k3  f  xi  h, yi  k2 h 
 2 2 
k4  f  xi  h, yi  k3h 
for i  0, x0  0.3, y0  5
k1  f  x 0 , y 0 
 f  0.3,5
1

 e 0.3   5
3
2

 7.8833
 1 1 
k 2  f  x 0  h, y 0  k1 h 
 2 2 
 1 1 
 f  0.3   0.3,5   7.8833  0.3 
 2 2 
 f  0.45,3.81751


3

1 0.45
e   3.81751
2

 4.33502
  1 1 
k 3  f  x 0  h, y 0  k 2 h 
 2 2 
 1 1 
 f  0.3   0.3,5   4.33502  0.3 
 2 2 
 f  0.45,4.34975

  e 0.45  4.34975 2 
1
3
 5.784
k 4  f  x 0  h, y 0  k 3 h 
 f  0.3  0.3,5  5.784  0.3
 f  0.6,3.2648
1

 e 0.6  3.2648 2
3

 2.9456
1
y1  y 0   k1  2k 2  2k 3  k 4  h
6
1
 5    7.88338  2  4.33502  2  5.784  2.9456  0.3
6
 3.44665

for i  1, x1  0.6, y1  3.44665

k1  f  x1 , y1 
 f  0.6,3.44665

  e 0.6  3.44665 2 
1
3
 3.35243
 1 1 
k 2  f  x1  h, y1  k1 h 
 2 2 
 1 1 
 f  0.6   0.3,3.44665   3.35243  0.3 
 2 2 
 f  0.75,2.94378


3

1 0.75
e   2.94378
2

 2.18295
 1 1 
k 3  f  x1  h, y1  k 2 h 
 2 2 
 1 1 
 f  0.6   0.3,3.44665   2.18295  0.3 
 2 2 
 f  0.75,3.11921
1

 e 0.75   3.11921
3
2

 2.53749
k 4  f  x 0  h, y 0  k 3 h 
 f  0.6  0.3,3.44665  2.53749  0.3
 f  0.9,2.6854
1

 e 0.9   2.6854
3
2

 1.58392
1
y 2  y1   k1  2k 2  2k 3  k 4  h
6
1
 3.44665    3.35243  2  2.18295  2  2.53749  1.58392  0.3
6
 2.72779
x 2  x1  h
 0.6  0.3
 0. 9
dy 1 x
dx 3
 e  y2  
dy
dx

 0.9  1 e 0.9   y  0.9  2
3

1

 e 0.9   2.72779
3
2

 1.6604
4. The velocity (m/s) of a parachutist is given as a function of time (seconds) by
  t   55.8 tanh(0.17t ), t  0
Using Runge-Kutta 4th order method with a step size of 5 seconds, the distance traveled by the
body from t  2 to t  12 seconds is estimated most nearly as
(A) 341.43 m
(B) 428.97 m
(C) 429.05 m
(D) 703.50 m

Solution
The correct answer is (C)

  t   55.8 tanh(0.17t ), t  0
the Runge-Kutta 4th order method is
1
S i 1  S i   k1  2 k 2  2 k 3  k 4  h
6
where
k1  f  t i , S i 
 1 1 
k 2  f  t i  h, S i  k1 h 
 2 2 
 1 1 
k 3  f  t i  h, S i  k 2 h 
 2 2 
k 4  f  t i  h, S i  k 3 h 
for i  0, t 0  2, S 0  0
k1  f  t 0 , S 0 
 f  2,0 
 55.8 tanh(0.17  2)
 18.2732
 1 1 
k 2  f  t 0  h , S 0  k1 h 
 2 2 
 1 1 
 f  2   5,0   18.2732  5 
 2 2 
 f  4.5,45.683
 55.8 tanh  0.17  4.5
 35.9359
 1 1 
k 3  f  t 0  h, S 0  k 2 h 
 2 2 
 1 1 
 f  2   5,0   35.9359  5 
 2 2 
 f  4.5,89.8398
 55.8 tanh  0.17  4.5
 35.9359
 k 4  f  t 0  h, S 0  k 3 h 
 f  2  5,0  35.9359  5
 f  7,179.68
 55.8 tanh 0.17  7 
 46.3463
1
S 1  S 0   k1  2 k 2  2 k 3  k 4  h
6
1
 0  18.2732  2  35.9359  2  35.9359  46.3463  5
6
 173.636
t1  t 0  h
 25
7
for i  1, t1  7, S1  173.636
k1  f  t 1 , S 1 
 f  7,173.636
 55.8 tanh(0.17  7)
 46.3463
 1 1 
k 2  f  t1  h , S 1  k 1 h 
 2 2 
 1 1 
 f  7   5,173.636   46.3463  5 
 2 2 
 f  9.5,289.502
 55.8 tanh  0.17  9.5
 51.5534
 1 1 
k 3  f  t 1  h, S 1  k 2 h 
 2 2 
 1 1 
 f  7   5,173.636   51.5534  5 
 2 2 
 f  9.5,302.52 
 55.8 tanh  0.17  9.5
 51.5534
k 4  f  t1  h, S1  k 3 h 
 f  7  5,173.636  51.5534  5
 f 12,431.403
 55.8 tanh 0.17  12 
 53.9445
1
S 2  S1   k1  2 k 2  2 k 3  k 4  h
6
1
 173.636   46.3463  2  51.5534  2  51.5534  53.9445  5
6
 429.05 m
 t 2  t1  h
 75
 12
The distance traveled from t = 2 to t = 12 is
Distance traveled  S 2  S 0
 S  t2   S  t0 
 S 12   S  2 
 429.05  0
 429.05m
5. Runge-Kutta method can be derived from using first three terms of Taylor series of writing
the value of y i 1 , that is the value of y at xi 1 , in terms of y i and all the derivatives of y at
xi . If h  xi 1  xi , the explicit expression for y i 1 if the first five terms of the Taylor series
are chosen for the ordinary differential equation
dy
 5 y  3e  2 x , y  0   7 ,
dx
would be
(A) 
y i 1  y i  3e  2 xi  5 y i h   5h 2
2

    h2
2
y i 1  y i  3e  2 xi  5 y i h   21e  2 xi  25 y i
(B)
  h6    300909e  h24
3 4
  483e  2 xi  625 y i  2 xi
 390625 y i

    h2  12e  h6
2 3
y i 1  y i  3e  2 xi  5 y i h   6e  2 xi  2 xi

(C)
  h24
4
  24e  2 xi

    h2  12e  h6
2 3
y i 1  y i  3e  2 xi  5 y i h   6e  2 xi  5  2 xi

(D)
  h24
4
  24e  2 xi

Solution
The correct answer is (B)

The first five terms of the Taylor series are as follows

1 ' 1 1
yi 1  yi  f  xi , yi  h  f  xi , yi  h 2  f ' '  xi , yi  h3  f '''  xi , yi  h 4
2! 3! 4!

our ordinary differential equation

dy
 5 y  3e  2 x , y  0   7
dx
f  x, y   3e 2 x  5 y
Now since y is a function of x,
f  x, y  f  x, y  dy
f  x , y   
x y dx


x

3e  2 x  5 y 

y

3e  2 x  5 y    3e 2 x
 5y 
 6e 2 x  ( 5) 3e 2 x  5 y  
2 x
 21e  25 y
 f  x, y  f  x, y  d 2 y
f  x, y   
x y dx 2


x

 21e  2 x  25 y 

y
   21e 2 x
 25 y    21e 2 x
 25 y 

 42e 2 x  (25)  21e 2 x  25 y 
2 x
 483e  625 y
f  x, y  f  x, y  d 3 y
f  x, y   
x y dx 3


x

 483e  2 x  625 y 

y
   483e 2 x
 625 y   483e 2 x
 625 y 

 966e 2 x  (625)  483e 2 x  625 y 
2 x
 3000909e  390625 y

The 4th order formula for the above example would be

1 ' 1 1
yi 1  yi  f  xi , yi  h  f  xi , yi  h 2  f ' '  xi , yi  h3  f '''  xi , yi  h 4
2! 3! 4!
   
2
h
y i 1  y i  3e  2 xi  5 y i h   21e 2 xi  25 y i
2

   
3
h h4
  483e  2 xi  625 y i   300909e 2 xi  390625 y i
6 24
6. A hot solid cylinder is immersed in an cool oil bath as part of a quenching process. This
process makes the temperature of the cylinder,  c , and the bath,  b , change with time. If the
initial temperature of the bar and the oil bath is given as 600 C and 27C, respectively, and
Length of cylinder = 30 cm
Radius of cylinder = 3 cm
kg
Density of cylinder = 2700 3
m
J
Specific heat of cylinder = 895 kg  K
W
Convection heat transfer coefficient = 100
m2  K
J
Specific heat of oil = 1910 kg  K
Mass of oil = 2 kg
the coupled ordinary differential equation giving the heat transfer are given by

Oil

Cylinder

d c
(A) 362.4  c  b
dt
d
675.5 b  b  c
dt
d c
(B) 362.4  c  b
dt
d b
675.5  b  c
dt
d
(C) 675.5 c  c  b
dt
d
362.4 b  b  c
dt
d c
(B) 675.5  c  b
dt
Solution
The correct answer is (A)

For the cylinder the rate of heat lost due to convection = h  A c   b  .
where
h(  ) = the convective cooling coefficient, W/(m2-K) and is a function of temperature
A  surface area of the cylinder
The energy stored in the mass is given by
Energy stored by mass = m.C. 
where
m = mass of the cylinder, kg
C = specific heat of the cylinder, J/(kg-K)
From an energy balance,
Rate at which heat is gained - Rate at which heat is lost =
= Rate at which heat is stored
gives
d
 h  A c   b   mC
dt
where
W
h   100
m2  K

A  2r 2  2rL
 2  0.03  2  0.03  0.3
2

 0.062204 m 2
m  V

 2700
kg
 
 r 2  L m 3
m3
 2700    0.03  0.3
2

 2.2902 kg
Thus
d c
 h  A c   b   mC
dt
d c
 100  0.062204 c   b   2.2902  895
dt
d c
329.517  c  b
dt
Similarly for the oil
 d b
 h  A b   c   mC
dt
d b
 100  0.062204 b   c   2  1910
dt
d b
614.108  b  c
dt