What is an Initial Value Problem?

In most cases the unique solution of a given problem, hence a particular solution, is
obtained from a general solution by an initial condition (IC) , with given values and , that is
used to determine a value of the arbitrary constant c. Geometrically this condition means
that the solution curve should pass through the point in the xy-plane. An ODE, together
with an initial condition, is called an initial value problem (IVP).

Examples

(a) Verify that y is a solution of the ODE. (b) Determine from y the particular solution of
the IVP.
 Basic concept and Modeling

Modeling is the process in engineering, physics, computer science, biology, chemistry,

environmental science, economics, and other fields whereby a physical situation or some
other observation is translated into a mathematical model.

If we want to solve a physical problem, we first have to

formulate the problem as a mathematical expression in terms
of variables, functions, and equations. Such an expression is
known as a mathematical model of the given problem.

The mathematical model could be a DE. We then find a

solution, explore its properties, graph it, find values of it, and
interpret it in physical terms so that we can understand the
behavior of the physical system in our given problem.
 Examples

Radioactivity. Exponential Decay

Given an amount of a radioactive substance, say, 0.5 g, find the amount present at any later
time.
Physical Information. Experiments show that at each instant a radioactive substance
decomposes and is thus decaying in time proportional to the amount of substance present

where the constant k is positive, so that, because of the minus, we do get decay. The value
of k is known from experiments for various radioactive substances
The IC y(0) = 0.5. The mathematical model of the physical process is the IVP
Step 2. Mathematical solution. The general solution (with arbitrary constant c but definite
given k)

We now determine c by using IC. Since y(0) = c, this gives y(0) = c = 0.5. Hence the particular
solution governing our process is

Step 3. Interpretation of result. This gives the amount of radioactive substance at time t. It
starts from the correct initial amount and decreases with time because k is positive.
POPULATION DYNAMICS English economist Thomas Malthus in 1798 gave the model. The
idea behind the Malthusian model is the assumption that the rate at which the population of
a country grows at a certain time is proportional to the total population of the country at that
time. In mathematical terms, if P(t) denotes the total population at time t, then this
assumption can be expressed as

where k is a constant of proportionality.

NEWTON’S LAW OF COOLING According to Newton’s law of cooling, the rate at which the
temperature of a body changes is proportional to the difference between the temperature of
the body and the temperature of the surrounding medium, the so-called ambient
temperature. If T(t) represents the temperature of a body at time t, Tm the temperature of the
surrounding medium, and dT/dt the rate at which the temperature of the body changes, then
Newton’s law of cooling translates into the mathematical statement

where k is a constant of proportionality.