FIRST MIDTERM EXAM Problem 1. Find the general solution to the equation y (6) + 2y (4) + y 00 = 0.

Solution: The characteristic polynomial r 6 + 2r 4 + r 2 = r 2 (r 4 + 2r 2 + 1) = r 2 (r 2 + 1)2 has roots r1,2 =

0, r3,4 = i, and r5,6 = −i. So, the general solution is y = C1 + C2x + (C3x + C4) cos x + (C5x + C6) sin x.
Problem 2. Find the form of the general solution of the differential equation y (4) − 4y 000 + 13y 00 = 3x
+ 5 + 2e 2x + (x 2 ) cos 3x + (5x + 6)e 2x sin 3x. Answer: We have r1,2 = 0, r3,4 = 2 ± 3i. So y = C1 + C2x + e
2x (C3 cos 3x + C4 sin 3x) + (Ax + B)x 2 + Ce2x + (Dx2 + Ex + F) cos 3x + (Gx2 + Hx + K) sin 3x + xe2x ((Lx +
M) cos 3x + (Nx + P) sin 3x) Problem 3. Find a general solution to the differential equation x 3 y 000 + xy0
− y = 0, x > 0. Solution: We put y = x r and get x r [r(r − 1)(r − 2) + r − 1] = 0. So, (r − 1)3 = 0, and r = 1 is a
triple root. So, y1 = x, y2 = x ln x, y3 = x(ln x) 2 , and thus y = x(C1 + C2 ln x + C3(ln x) 2 ).