Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam March 28, 2018

Dynamics and Computation, first exam 12:00–14:00

Motivate your answers.

Calculators are not allowed.

This exam counts for 50% in your final grade.

The questions are worth the following:
Q1: 1; Q2: 2 + 1 + 1; Q3: 2 + 3 + 2 + 2; Q4: 1 + 2 + 1;
The mark for this exam is determined by (sum of number of points + 2)/2.

Question 1 Consider the initial value problem

x′ = x2 (2 − x),
x(0) = 1.
Sketch the solution x(t) (without solving the equation).

Question 2 Consider the following system of ordinary differential equations,

{ ′
x = −4x + 2y,
y′ = x − 5y.
(a) Find the general solution (x(t), y(t)) to this system.
(b) Find the unique solution to this system with initial values (x(0), y(0)) = (0, 3).
(c) Sketch the solution from (b) in the phase plane.

Question 3 Consider the following system of nonlinear differential equations,

{ ′
x = −x + 2y 2 ,
y ′ = y − x + 1.
(a) Sketch the nullclines, and use arrows to show the direction of the vector field on these nullclines.
(b) Determine the steady states, and classify each of them using linear stability analysis.
(c) For each steady state you have classified as (un)stable node or saddle, compute the stable and unstable
directions using linear stability analysis.
(d) In a separate picture from (a), draw the complete phase portrait: show the nullclines, the steady states,
any local stable or unstable manifolds from (c), and finally sketch a few solutions to give an impression of
the dynamics.

Question 4 Consider the following discrete dynamical system,

xn+1 = rxn e−2xn , for xn > 0, r > 0.
(a) Consider only xn > 0. For which values of r does a non-trivial positive fixed point exist?
(b) For which values of r is this fixed point stable, and for which unstable?
(c) Let r = 2. Sketch a solution using “cob-webbing” that starts at x0 = 0.1.