Math 307E/H Midterm 2 Practice Problems Solutions

1. Find the general solution to each of the following dierential equations: (a) y + y 2y = 2t We rst solve the corresponding homogeneous equation y + y 2y = 0. Using the characteristic equation, we obtain the solution y = c1 e2t + c2 et . To solve the nonhomogeneous equation, we can use the method of undetermined coecients. We assume a particular solution of the form Y = At + B , so Y = A and Y = 0. Thus, A 2At 2B = 2t, so A = 1 and B = 1 2 . Therefore, we obtain the general solution 1 y = c1 e2t + c2 et t . 2 (b) y + 4y = t2 + 3et We rst solve the corresponding homogeneous equation y + 4y = 0. Using the characteristic equation, we obtain the solution y = c1 sin(2t) + c2 cos(2t). To solve the nonhomogeneous equation, we use the method of undetermined coecients. We assume a particular solution of the form Y = At2 + Bt + C + Det , so Y = 2At + B + Det and Y = 2A + Det . Thus, 2A + Det +4(At2 + Bt + C + Det ) = t2 +3et . 1 Therefore, 4A = 1, 4B = 0, 4C + 2A = 0, and 5D = 3. Therefore, A = 4 , B = 0, 1 3 C = 8 , and D = 5 . Therefore, we obtain the general solution 1 3 1 y = c1 sin(2t) + c2 cos(2t) + t2 + et . 4 8 5 (c) y + 2y + y = et We rst solve the corresponding homogeneous equation y + 2y + y = 0. Using the characteristic equation, we obtain the solution y = c1 et + c2 tet . Using the method of undetermined coecients for the nonhomogeneous equation, we assume a particular solution of the form Y = At2 et . Then Y = 2Atet At2 et and Y = 2Aet 4Atet + At2 et . Therefore 2Aet 4Atet + At2 et + 2(2Atet At2 et ) + At2 et = et , so A = 1 2 . Thus, we obtain the general solution 1 y = c1 et + c2 tet + t2 et . 2

(d) y + 4y = 3sin(2t) We rst solve the corresponding homogeneous equation y + 4y = 0. Using the characteristic equation, we obtain the solution y = c1 sin(2t) + c2 cos(2t). To solve the nonhomogeneous equation, we use the method of undetermined coecients. We assume a particular solution of the form Y = At sin(2t) + Bt cos(2t). Then Y = A sin(2t) + 2At cos(2t) + B cos(2t) 2Bt sin(2t), and Y = 4A cos(2t) 4At sin(2t) 4B sin(2t) 4Bt cos(2t). Plugging into the dierential equation, we have 4A cos(2t)4At sin(2t)4B sin(2t)4Bt cos(2t)+4(At sin(2t)+Bt cos(2t)) = 3 sin(2t). Therefore, A = 0 and B = 3/4. Thus, we have the general solution y = c1 sin(2t) + c2 cos(2t) 3/4t cos(2t). (e) y 2y + y =
et 1+t2

We rst solve the corresponding homogeneous equation y 2y + y = 0 to obtain the solution y = c1 et + c2 tet . We use the method of variation of parameters to solve the nonhomogeneous equation. Let y1 = et and y2 = tet . Then W (y1 , y2 )(t) = et (et + tet ) et (tet ) = e2t . Then u1 = = dt e2t t dt 1 + t2
e tet 1+ t2
t

1 = ln(1 + t2 ) 2 and u2 = = = dt e2t 1 dt 1 + t2 tan1 (t).

e et 1+ t2
t

2 t Therefore, we have a particular solution Y = u1 y1 + u2 y2 = 1 2 ln(1 + t )e + 1 t tan (t)te , and we obtain the general solution

y = c1 et + c2 tet

1 ln(1 + t2 )et + tan1 (t)tet . 2

(f) y + y = tan t We solve the corresponding homogeneous equation y + y = 0 to obtain the solution y = c1 sin(t) + c2 cos(t). We use the method of variation of parameters to solve the nonhomogeneous equation. Let y1 = sin(t) and y2 = cos(t). Then W (y1 , y2 )(t) = sin(t)( sin(t)) cos(t)(cos(t)) = 1. Therefore, u1 = = cos(t) tan(t) dt 1 sin(t)dt

= cos(t) and u2 = = = = sin(t) tan(t) dt 1 sin2 (t) dt cos(t) (cos(t) sec(t))dt sin(t) ln(sec(t) + tan(t)).

Therefore, we obtain the particular solution Y = u1 y1 + u2 y2 = cos(t) sin(t) + (sin(t) ln(sec(t) + tan(t))) cos(t) and the general solution y = c1 sin(t) + c2 cos(t) cos(t) sin(t) + (sin(t) ln(sec(t) + tan(t))) cos(t).

(g) t2 y + 3ty 15y = t ln(t) We use the Euler Equation method. We can transform the homogeneous equation t2 y + 3ty 15y = 0 with respect to t to the following: y + (3 1)y 15y = y + 2y 15y = 0, with respect to x = ln(t). Using the characteristic equation, we have y = c1 e5x + c2 e3x . Using the variable substitution x = ln(t), we obtain y = c1 t5 + c2 t3 . Thus, our fundamental set of solutions is y1 = t5 and y2 = t3 . We will solve the rest with the method of variation of parameters. We have W (y1 , y2 )(t) = t5 3t2 (5)t6 t3 = 3t3 + 5t3 = 8t3 . Moreover, dividing by t2 we obtain the dierential equation y +3/ty 15/t2 y = t so g (t) = ln t . We then compute u1 and u2 : u1 = = = = y2 g dt W (y1 , y2 )
t t3 ln t dt 8t3 ln t t ,

1 t5 ln t dt 8 1 1 t6 (ln t ), 48 6

where the nal integral can be calculated with integration by parts. Also, u2 = = = = Thus we have the general solution y = c1 y1 + c2 y2 + u1 y1 + u2 y2 1 1 1 1 = c1 t5 + c2 t3 t(ln t ) t(ln t + ) 48 6 16 2 1 2 = c1 t5 + c2 t3 t ln t t 12 9 1 8 y1 g dt W (y1 , y2 )
t t5 ln t dt 8t3

t3 ln t dt 1 2 1 t (ln t + ). 16 2

2. Consider the dierential equation (1 x)y + xy y = 1 x. (a) Verify that y1 (x) = ex and y2 (x) = x are solutions to the corresponding homogenous equation. To verify that these are solutions, we simply take derivatives and plug them in to the corresponding homogeneous equation. For y1 , we have y1 = y1 = ex , and plugging this into the equation yields (1 x)ex + xex ex = 0, so this solves the homogeneous equation. For y2 , we have y2 = 1 and y2 = 0, so plugging this into the equation yields (1 x)0 + x x = 0, so this solves the homogeneous equation. (b) Use the method of variation of parameters to nd a general solution to the nonhomogeneous equation. Now, W (y1 , y2 ) = ex xex = ex (1 x). To use variation of parameters, we must have an equation of the form y + p(t)y + q (t)y = g (t), so we divide by 1 x to x 1 obtain y + 1 x y 1x y = 1. Variation of parameters tells us that we have a particular solution of the form Y = u1 y1 + u2 y2 , where u1 = x dx = ex (1 x) (ex + e x )dx = ex + 1x e x dx x1

(this integral does not have a closed form) and u2 = ex (1 ex dx = x) 1 dx = ln(1 x). 1x ex dx)ex x ln(1 x). x1

Therefore, we have a particular solution Y = (ex + Thus, the general solution to the equation is y = c1 ex + c2 x + 1 + ex

ex dx x ln(1 x). x1

3. Suppose we were to solve the following nonhomogeneous dierential equations using the method of undetermined coecients. Determine a suitable form for the particular solution Y (t). You need not solve the equation completely. (a) y + y 2y = t2 sin(2t) + tet e2t cos(t) We rst consider the solutions to the corresponding homogeneous equation. Using the characteristic equation, we have solutions y1 = e2t and y2 = et . Thus we have the form Y = (At2 + Bt + C ) sin(2t) + (Dt2 + Et + F ) cos(2t) +t(Gt + H )et +Ie2t cos(t) + Je2t sin(t). (b) y + 3y + 2y = et (t2 + 1) sin(2t) + 3et cos(t) + 4et We rst consider the solutions to the corresponding homogeneous equation. Using the characteristic equation, we have solutions y1 = e2t and y2 = et . Thus we have the form Y = (At2 + Bt + C )et sin(2t) + (Dt2 + Et + F )et cos(2t) +Get cos(t) + Het sin(t) +Iet . (c) y + 9y = t2 sin(3t) + (6t + 7) cos(2t) We rst consider the solutions to the corresponding homogeneous equation. Using the characteristic equation, we have solutions y1 = cos(3t) and y2 = sin(3t). Thus we have the form Y = t(At2 + Bt + C ) sin(3t) + t(Dt2 + Et + F )cos(3t) +(Gt + H ) sin(2t) + (It + J ) cos(2t)

(d) y + 6y + 9y = t2 e3t + e3t cos(t) We rst consider the solutions to the corresponding homogeneous equation. Using the characteristic equation, we have solutions y1 = e3t and y2 = te3t . Thus we have the form Y = t2 (At2 + Bt + C )e3t +De3t cos t + Ee3t sin t.

4. Suppose we have the dierential equation xy y + 4x3 y = 0 for x > 0. It is known that one solution is y1 (x) = sin(x2 ). Find the general solution.

We use the method of reduction of order to nd a second solution of the form y2 = v (x)y1 (x), so y2 = v sin(x2 ). Taking derivatives, we get y2 y2 y2 = = = v sin(x2 ) v sin(x2 ) + v (2x cos(x2 )) v sin(x2 ) + 2v (2x cos(x2 )) + v (2 cos(x2 ) 4x2 sin(x2 )).

Plugging this into the dierential equation and simplifying, we obtain x sin(x2 )v + (4x2 cos(x2 ) sin(x2 ))v = 0. Setting w = v , treating this as a rst order equation for w, and performing separation of variables, we obtain dw = w 1 cos(x2 ) 4x x sin(x2 ) dx.

We can integrate both sides (performing a u-sub with u = sin(x2 ) should take care of the second term) to obtain ln w = ln x 2 ln(sin(x2 )) and thus w = v = sin2x . (x2 ) Integrating this gives v = cot(x2 ). Thus we obtain the general solution y = c1 y1 + c2 y2 = c1 sin(x2 ) + c2 cos(x2 ).

5. For each of the following, determine the longest interval in which the initial value problem is certain to have a unique twice dierentiable solution. You need not nd the solution. (a) y + (cos t)y + ln(|t|)y = 0, y (2) = 1, y (2) = 3

We have discontinuities of ln(|t|) only at t = 0. Thus the solution is dened for 0 < t < . (b) (x 2)y + y + (x 2)(tan x)y =
1 x 1 ,

y (3) = 1,

y (3) = 4

1 1 Dividing by x 2 yields the dierential equation y + x 2 y + (tan x)y = (x1)(x2) . We have discontinuities at x = 1, 2, and 2 + n for any integer n. As the function is dened at x = 3, we have the solution dened for 2 < x < 32 .

6. A mass weighing 6 lb stretches a spring 6 in. The mass is pushed upward, contracting the spring a distance of 2 in, and then set in motion with a downward velocity of 4 ft/s. Assume there is no damping. Find the position of the mass at time t. Determine the frequency, period, amplitude, and phase of the motion. Express your nal answer in the form R cos(0 t ).

We have a free undamped vibration, so the position u(t) of the mass at time t should
g k satisfy the dierential equation mu + ku = 0. Here 0 = m = L = 132 /2 = 64 = 8. Thus we have the equation u(t) = A cos(8t) + B sin(8t). Considering the 1 initial conditions, we have u(0) = 1 u (0) = 4. Thus A = 6 and B = 4. We 6 and 145 1 2 2 can then calculate R = A + B = 6 , and = tan (24) 1.61. Thus we have the solution u(t) = 145 6 cos(8t 1.61). Thus we have frequency 8, period 4 , amplitude 145 6 , and phase 1.61.

7. A mass weighing 16 lb stretches a spring 3 in. The mass is attached to a viscous damper with a damping constant of 2 lbs/ft. If the mass is set in motion from its equilibrium position with a downward velocity of 3 in/s, nd the position of the mass at any time t. Determine the quasi-frequency and quasi-period. Is the system critically damped, overdamped, or underdamped?

We have a free damped vibration, so the position u(t) of the mass at time t satises 16 1 the dierential equation mu + u + ku = 0. We have m = w g = 32 = 2 . The 16 damping constant is given as 2. Finally, k = mg L = 1 = 64. Thus the dierential equation may be written as equation, we have roots
1 2u
4

+ 2u + 64u = 0. Turning to the characteristic 4 128 = 2 2 31. 1

2 1

Thus we obtain the general solution to the dierential equation u(t) = e2t (A cos(2 31t) + B sin(2 31t)).
1 Considering the initial conditions, we have u(0) = 0 and u (0) = 4 . Plugging in to 1 the equation, this yields A = 0 and B = 8 31 . We thus obtain the equation

1 1 u(t) = e2t sin(2 31t) = e2t cos(2 31t ). 2 8 31 8 31 We thus have quasi-frequency 2 31 and quasi-period . This system is under31 damped.