LECTURE 17

MODIFICATIONS OF TRIAL PARTICULAR SOLUTIONS

1. Determine the form of a particular solution to 𝑦 ′ − 5𝑦 = 2𝑒 5𝑥 .

The complementary solution is 𝑦𝑐 = 𝐶1 𝑒 5𝑥 . Since the right side of the given
nonhomogeneous equation is an exponential, we try a particular solution of the same
form, namely 𝐴0 𝑒 5𝑥 . However, this is exactly the same as 𝑦𝑐 except for a multiplicative
constant (both are a constant times 𝑒 5𝑥 . Therefore, we must modify it. We do so by
multiplying it by 𝑥 to get 𝒚𝒑 = 𝑨𝟎 𝒙𝒆𝟓𝒙 , which is distinct from 𝑦𝑐 and is an appropriate
candidate for a particular solution.

2. Determine the form of a particular solution to 𝑦 ′′ − 𝑦 ′ − 2𝑦 = 2𝑒 −𝑥 .

The complementary solution is 𝑦𝑐 = 𝐶1 𝑒 −𝑥 + 𝐶2 𝑒 2𝑥 . We try a particular solution of the
form 𝐴0 𝑒 −𝑥 , but since this has the same form as part of 𝑦𝑐 (let 𝐶1 = 𝐴0 ), we must
modify it. Multiplying the right side again by 𝑥, we get 𝒚𝒑 = 𝑨𝟎 𝒙𝒆−𝒙 , since this is
distinct from 𝑦𝑐 it is in proper form for a particular solution.

3. Determine the form of a particular solution to 𝑦 ′′ + 4𝑦 ′ + 4𝑦 = 𝑒 −2𝑥 .

The complementary solution is found to be 𝑦𝑐 = 𝐶1 𝑒 −2𝑥 + 𝐶2 𝑥𝑒 −2𝑥 . We try a particular
solution of the form 𝐴0 𝑒 −2𝑥 , similar to the right side of the given differential equation.
However, this is also part of 𝑦𝑐 (let 𝐶1 = 𝐴0 ), so we modify it by multiplying by 𝑥. This
gives us 𝐴0 𝑥𝑒 −2𝑥 , which is also part of 𝑦𝑐 (let 𝐶2 = 𝐴0 ) and must be modified.
Multiplying again by 𝑥, we generate 𝒚𝒑 = 𝑨𝟎 𝒙𝟐 𝒆−𝟐𝒙 . Since this result has no terms in
common with 𝑦𝑐 , it is the proper form for a particular solution.

𝑑3 𝑦 𝑑2 𝑦 𝑑𝑦
4. Determine the form of a particular solution to + 6 𝑑𝑡 2 + 12 𝑑𝑡 + 8𝑦 = 12𝑒 −2𝑡 .
𝑑𝑡 3

The complementary solution is 𝑄𝑐 = 𝐶1 𝑒 −𝑡 + 𝐶2 𝑡𝑒 −𝑡 + 𝐶3 𝑡 2 𝑒 −𝑡 . We try a particular

solution similar in form to the right side of the differential equation, namely 𝐴0 𝑒 −𝑡 .
Since this is part of the complementary solution (let 𝐶1 = 𝐴0 ), it must be modified. If
we multiply by 𝑡 or 𝑡 2 , the result will be of the form 𝐴0 𝑡𝑒 −𝑡 or 𝐴0 𝑡 2 𝑒 −𝑡 and will also
be part of the complementary function. However, if we multiply by 𝑡 3 , we obtain 𝑸𝒑 =
𝑨𝟎 𝒕𝟑 𝒆−𝒕 , which is not part of the complementary function and is, therefore, the proper
form for a particular solution.

ES208 – DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

Engr. Dennis E. Ganas
Mechanical Engineering Department MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
5. Determine the form of a particular solution to 𝑦 ′′ − 7𝑦 = −3.
The complementary solution is 𝑦𝑐 = 𝐶1 + 𝐶2 𝑒 7𝑥 . We try the particular solution 𝐴0 but
since this is part of 𝑦𝑐 for (let 𝐶1 = 𝐴0 ), it must be modified. Multiplying by 𝑥, we get
𝒚𝒑 = 𝑨𝟎 𝒙, which is not part of 𝑦𝑐 and is, therefore, the proper form for a particular
solution.

𝑑4 𝑦
6. Determine the form of a particular solution to = 12𝑥 2 − 60.
𝑑𝑥 4

The complementary solution is 𝑦𝑐 = 𝐶1 + 𝐶2 𝑥 + 𝐶3 𝑥 2 + 𝐶4 𝑥 3. Since the right side of

the given differential equation is a second-degree polynomial, we try, as a particular
solution, the general second-degree polynomial 𝐴0 + 𝐴1 𝑥 + 𝐴2 𝑥 2 . But this is a part of
𝑦𝑐 for suitable choices of 𝐶1 through 𝐶4 , and so must be modified. To do so, we multiply
by 𝑥 4 , the smallest positive integral power of 𝑥 that eliminates any duplication of 𝑦𝑐 .
The result is a proper particular solution: 𝒚𝒑 = 𝑨𝟎 𝒙𝟒 + 𝑨𝟏 𝒙𝟓 + 𝑨𝟐 𝒙𝟔 .

7. Solve the form of a particular solution for (𝐷2 + 4)𝑦 = 𝑥 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛2𝑥.

The complementary solution is 𝑦𝑐 = 𝐶1 𝑐𝑜𝑠2𝑥 + 𝐶2 𝑠𝑖𝑛2𝑥. Since the right side of the
differential equation is a second-degree polynomial times a sine term, we try
(𝐵𝑥 2 + 𝐸𝑥 + 𝐺 )𝑠𝑖𝑛2𝑥 + (𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝐶𝑥 + 𝐹 )𝑐𝑜𝑠2𝑥 as a particular solution. But this trial
solution has terms in common with 𝑦𝑐 , namely a constant times 𝑠𝑖𝑛2𝑥 and a constant
times 𝑐𝑜𝑠2𝑥, so we must modify it. We do so by multiplying by the smallest positive
integral power of 𝑥 that eliminates all commonality between 𝑦𝑐 and 𝑦𝑝 . This is the first
power. As a result, we find
𝒚𝒑 = 𝑨𝒙𝟑 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝟐𝒙 + 𝑩𝒙𝟑 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝟐𝒙 + 𝑪𝒙𝟐 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝟐𝒙 + 𝑬𝒙𝟐 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝟐𝒙 + 𝑭𝒙𝒄𝒐𝒔𝟐𝒙 + 𝑮𝒙𝒔𝒊𝒏𝟐𝒙

𝑑2 𝑦 𝑑𝑦
8. Solve the form of a particular solution for 𝑑𝑥 2 − 6 𝑑𝑥 + 25𝑦 = 6𝑒 3𝑥 𝑐𝑜𝑠4𝑥.

The complementary solution is 𝑦𝑐 = 𝑒 3𝑥 (𝐶1 𝑐𝑜𝑠4𝑥 + 𝐶2 𝑠𝑖𝑛4𝑥). Since the right side of
the differential equation is an exponential times a cosine term, we try the particular
solution 𝐴0 𝑒 3𝑥 𝑠𝑖𝑛4𝑥 + 𝐵0 𝑒 3𝑥 𝑐𝑜𝑠4𝑥. Because this has the same for as 𝑦𝑐 , we modify it
by multiplying by 𝑥. The result, 𝒚𝒑 = 𝑨𝟎 𝒙𝒆𝟑𝒙 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝟒𝒙 + 𝑩𝟎 𝒙𝒆𝟑𝒙 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝟒𝒙, consists of
terms that are different from those of 𝑦𝑐 , so it needs no further modification.

ES208 – DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

Engr. Dennis E. Ganas
Mechanical Engineering Department MECHANICAL ENGINEERING