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MITRES 18 008 partII Lec04
MITRES 18 008 partII Lec04
MITRES 18 008 partII Lec04
1. Overview
W e now know how t o f i n d t h e g e n e r a l s o l u t i o n of L ( y ) = 0 i n t h e
case t h a t L(y) has constant c o e f f i c i e n t s . Thus, i n terms of t h e
g e n e r a l t h e o r y , i f L ( y ) = f ( x ) h a s c o n s t a n t c o e f f i c i e n t s and
f # 0, t h e n w e need o n l y f i n d a p a r t i c u l a r s o l u t i o n of t h i s
e q u a t i o n i n o r d e r t o o b t a i n t h e g e n e r a l s o l u t i o n of t h e e q u a t i o n
( s i n c e t h e g e n e r a l s o l u t i o n i s o b t a i n e d by adding t h e p a r t i c u l a r
s o l u t i o n t o t h e g e n e r a l s o l u t i o n of t h e reduced e q u a t i o n ) .
The purpose of t h i s u n i t i s t o p r e s e n t a r a t h e r n i c e t e c h n i q u e
f o r finding a particular solution - a t e c h n i q u e which o n l y
a p p l i e s i f (1) w e have c o n s t a n t c o e f f i c i e n t s and (2) f (x) has a
v e r y s p e c i a l form. What t h i s s p e c i a l form i s w i l l b e d i s c u s s e d
a s p a r t of t h e e x e r c i s e s , b u t a g e n e r a l i n s i g h t w i l l be s u p p l i e d
i n the lecture.
Study Guide
Block 2: Ordinary Differential Equations
Unit 6: The Method of Undetermined Coefficients
2. Lecture 2 - 0 4 0
Study Guide
Block 2: Ordinary D i f f e r e n t i a l Equations
U n i t 6: The Method of Undetermined C o e f f i c i e n t s
3. Do t h e E x e r c i s e s . [ E x e r c i s e 2.6.1(L) s e t s t h e t o n e f o r t h e
e n t i r e s e t of e x e r c i s e s . I t s many p a r t s a r e meant t o h i g h l i g h t
t h e v a r i o u s f i n e p o i n t s which a r i s e i n t h e s t u d y of t h e method of
undetermined c o e f f i c i e n t s . I t i s s t r o n g l y a d v i s e d t h a t you
work t h i s e x e r c i s e i n g r e a t d e t a i l s i n c e i t emphasizes t h e
v a r i o u s t e c h n i q u e s which may o c c u r i n d i f f e r e n t c a s e s . ]
2.6.1(L)
c. U s e t h e method of undetermined c o e f f i c i e n t s t o h e l p f i n d t h e
g e n e r a l s o l u t i o n of y" - 8y' + 7y = xe
3x
.
d. U s e t h e method of undetermined c o e f f i c i e n t s t o h e l p f i n d
t h e g e n e r a l s o l u t i o n of y" - 8y' + 7y = e
7x
.
Study Guide
Block 2: Ordinary D i f f e r e n t i a l Equations
U n i t 6: The Method o f Undetermined C o e f f i c i e n t s
2.6.2 (optional)
b. f ( x ) = s i n 3x
2.6.4
2.6.5
2.6.6
X
F i n d the s o l u t i o n of y"' - y' = e subject t o the conditions
t h a t when x=O; y = l , y1=3/2, and y w = 4 .
2.6.7(L)
a. Make t h e s u b s t i t u t i o n z = I n x t o c o n v e r t t h e e q u a t i o n
i n t o a l i n e a r e q u a t i o n w i t h c o n s t a n t c o e f f i c i e n t s i n which y i s
expressed a s a function of z .
b. U s e your answer i n ( a ) t o d e t e r m i n e t h e g e n e r a l s o l u t i o n of
3
x y"' + xy' - y = 0 (X > 0 ) .
c. Apply undetermined c o e f f i c i e n t s t o t h e p r o p e r e q u a t i o n t o h e l p
f i n d t h e g e n e r a l s o l u t i o n of
MIT OpenCourseWare
http://ocw.mit.edu
Resource: Calculus Revisited: Complex Variables, Differential Equations, and Linear Algebra
Prof. Herbert Gross
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provided by the author as an individual learning resource.
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