Prelims Introductory Calculus, Problem Sheet 3

1. Solve the following initial-value problems

(a)
d2 y
+ y = ex cos x
dx2
subject to that y (0) = 1 and y ′ (0) = 0;
(b)
d2 y
2
+ 4y = cos2 x
dx
subject to that y (0) = 0 and y ′ (0) = 2.

2. Solve the initial value problem

d2 y
+ y = sin (ωx) y (0) = 0, y ′ (0) = 0
dx2
where ω > 0 is a constant, distinguishing carefully between the cases ω 6= 1 and ω = 1.
Verify that if ω 6= 1 then y (x) is a bounded function and that if ω = 1 then y (x) becomes
unbounded as x → ±∞. What has this got to do with resonance?

3. (a) Find the eigenvalues and two independent eigenvectors v1 , v2 of the matrix
 
1 4
A= .
1 1
Put the vectors v1 , v2 as the columns of a 2 × 2 matrix P . Find P −1 and verify by direct
calculation that P −1 AP is a diagonal matrix.
(b) Find the general solution of the system
dx dy
= x + 4y, = x + y.
dt dt

4. Find the general solution of the system

 dx    
dt 2 1 x
dy = .
dt
−4 2 y

5. Find the eigenvalues of, and two independent eigenvectors for, the matrix
 
2 3
.
1 4
Hence:
(a) find the general solution of the system
dx dy
= 2x + 3y, = x + 4y;
dt dt
(b) solve
dx dy
= 2x + 3y + 2e2t , = x + 4y + 3e2t
dt dt
subject to the initial conditions that x (0) = −2
3
and y (0) = 13 .